Scandals and Secrets
by taleoftwoherondales
Summary: Clary Fairchild has a big problem. She's pregnant, and Jace wants to kill her baby. Fleeing the city, vowing to never return, Clary starts a new life in rural Georgia, raising her children in the mundane world. Back in New York, there's a new head of the Institute watching over a new generation of Shadowhunters. Plagued with mysterious murders, Clary is forced to return to the city
1. Prologue

**Hiiiii everyone! So I decided to start yet another fanfiction. This one is post COHF and includes all the canon goodness cassie has provided for us, and all it's ships. It's an AU and has no tie in to Afterwards. They're completly seperate plotlines but both dealing with the same characters. This one is just a little more heart-wrenching in my opinion. Ready? Let's go! P.S, I don't own the characters, or even the computer I'm typing on! Just my imagination. Also, I haven't given up on Afterwards or Blackstairs. I just had the inspiration and pre-wrote this while Fanfic was down. First real chapter once someone reviews!  
**

**Prologue**

Wrapping her green peacoat a little tighter around her small frame, Clary Fray hurried down the slush covered sidewalks, fear in her heart. It had been over a year since the Dark War, and things were very different. Everyone she knew had been hardened by the events, including the one person she thought she could love forever.

Clary slammed her hand down on the buzzer, bouncing up and down on her toes. White flakes were starting to melt into her scarlet hair and chapped, pale lips.

_Please be home._ She thought to herself, praying to the Angel for strength to go through with this. The outer door clicked, allowing Clary entry into the foyer.

The apartment she had been seeking was cracked open, and she pushed her way inside.

Magnus Bane's apartment never looked the same way twice, and today it was styled with Victorian era touches. He must have been nostalgic. The warlock was lounging easily on a loveseat, opposite a tall woman. Clary held her breath. She hadn't expected anyone else to be inside. Alec was with Jace, attempting to calm him down, a futile effort. "Magnus." Clary breathed, voice full of panic. His gold cat eyes shone with concern. The woman turned around, inquisitive grey eyes landing on Clary's own green ones. "Tessa Gray?" Clary asked with disbelief. She was supposed to be traveling with her now husband, James Carstairs. She had attended the wedding a few months ago. "Clarissa Fairchild. What a lovely surprise." She beamed at Clary before turning to Magnus. "This reminds me of about two decades ago, when Jocelyn came to us with the same level of franticness." Tessa frowned, finally noticing something was wrong. "Clary, darling. What is it?" Magnus asked protectively.

"I- I need to get out of the city. No one can know where I'm going. Can you help me?" The words tumbled out of her mouth, tears following suit.

The two warlocks exchanged glances, silently conversing on the issue.

"Could you tell us what's wrong?" Asked Tessa, grey eyes full of concern.

Clary paced back and forth along the rug of the apartment, boots tracking dirty snow on Magnus's floors. Her eyes scrunched together like she was in pain, mouth opening and then quickly shutting. Finally, she stopped and turned to face Magnus and Tessa.

"I'm pregnant, and Jace wants to kill the baby."

* * *

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be.

Despite what he wanted to believe, it was very real and very plausible.

Jace remembered back a few hours, to when Clary approached him in the greenhouse.

_Running a hand through his golden curls, Jace Herondale's eyes were trained on the small box he was turning in his hands. He was eighteen now, a legal adult Shadowhunter. As a birthday present, Robert Lightwood and the Clave came to a unanimous decision that Jace would take over the duties of running the New York Institute, as his ancestors had done with the London counterpart. It had been a month since he received the news from Mayrse. She would be retiring to Idris to teach at the reopened Shadowhunter Academy. There was so much stress piling over him. How could he care for the Shadowhunters of the Institute and all of the New York Downworld when he was barely an adult? Jace had nearly pulled all his hair out when Clary approached him, uncertainty in her green eyes. He felt panic rise up in his throat. He loved Clary, but he couldn't afford to deal with any more problems right now, and from the looks of it, she had a big one. "Jace." Clary said softly, sinking down next to him, grasping his hand. He slipped the black velvet box into the pocket of his leather jacket. He could do this another time. "Clary, what's wrong?" She swallowed once, and then twice. Words seemed to escape her. She was obviously trying to break something to him softly. Biting her lip, she gave up, tears running down her face. Jace wiped her cheeks with his thumb, but more kept streaming down like several tiny rivers. _

"_I'm pregnant." _

Looking back on it, Jace hadn't reacted well, but what did she expect? She was only seventeen, and he was only eighteen. They were too young to be dealing with something like this, especially when Jace had an entire Institute to run on his own. Isabelle wasn't much help these days. All she ever did was fuss about Simon, who had recently finished his studies at the Academy and Ascended.

Still, Clary hadn't deserved the harsh words he spat at her. When she left, violent sobs wracking her entire body, a dark feeling washed over him. She wasn't going to get the baby aborted, what she? Even before the news was broken to him, Jace knew.

Clary was gone.

**I had a sort of dream about this last night, so I decided to act on it and write. I'm going to take a new approach and just write as much of this as I can ahead of time so I can periodically publish it while trying to get my act together on Afterwards and Palace of Blackstairs. It would be cool if y'all could review! ;)**


	2. Homeward Bound

**I'm actually so incredibly excited to be writing this. I'm more into it than I was with my other two. I might update this one more often, as I already have the plot laid out and most of it typed. I can't say the same with Afterwards or Blackstairs... I won't discontinue them, they just won't be updated until I can produce something other than the crap I have been writing in there. Anyways, without further ado... Enjoy! **

**Chapter One**

_**Seven Years Later…**_

Clary stood over the stove of her small house's kitchen, quietly humming to herself while periodically stirring the boiling pasta and tomato sauce. It was a beautiful March day and she had the kitchen window open, yellow curtains fluttering in the breeze. There were no sounds of rushing cars or angry New Yorkers, just laughing children and twittering birds. Rural Georgia was so much more peaceful than her old home in New York. Two pairs of footsteps stormed into the kitchen, the smell of dirt following. Two sets of dirty hands tugged on her white blouse, clinging to her jeans. Clary gazed down at her six year old twins, green eyes full of love. Celiea Lucie Herondale and Andrew William Herondale gazed up at her, eyes pleading for dinner. "Mama, when's dinner going to be ready?" Spoke Celiea in her small voice, hints of a southern accent shining through. "Just a few moments, darling. Why don't you and your brother go get cleaned up a bit?" Suggested Clary, knowing her daughter would take the bait. For a six year old, she was very self-important.

_Just like her father,_ A small voice in the back of her head taunted. A flare of pain rose up in Clary's chest. Her children had inherited Jace's curly golden hair, but only Andrew had his eyes. He was a carbon copy of his father, whereas Celiea had emerald eyes, containing only a few flecks of anything resembling a semi-precious metal. Many of the people in her small town found it peculiar that a twenty-four year old had two children and raised them on her own. She worked double shifts at a local diner, famed for selling biscuits and gravy that would have any city boy moving to Georgia in a heartbeat and a chicken fried steak to die for. Her kindly neighbors' teenaged daughter, Lizzie, adored the twins and always offered to watch them. In turn, Clary gave her advice and tended to her while Lizzie's parents were away on business. It was a system she had maintained for seven years. Seven years of normalcy, away from the insanity of the Shadow World, and the cruelty of it's inhabitants. She knew there was an Institute in Savannah, only miles away from where she lived. It was the perfect way to ensure her children's safety and to keep tabs on her old life in a way without risking discovery.

She wasn't the easiest person to find.

After spooning out dinner for the twins, Clary slipped on the mandatory uniform and braided back her red curls. She fit the southern belle life well, according to her boss. He had never quite believed she was a true New Yorker, which pleased Clary. She never planned on going back. A knock pounded on the front door. Clary checked the clock above the stove. 5 o'clock on the dot, as always. "Come on in, Lizzie!" She announced. The twins face's lit up in excitement. Andrew's curls were radiating with happy energy, and Ceilea's face was about to burst from her wide smile.

Nothing happened. Strange. Lizzie usually just barged it.

With a sigh, Clary through the unlocked door open with a smile.

A smile that promptly faded once she realized who was standing before her. Squinting, Clary stared at the two strangers.

"Isabelle? Simon? What in Raziel's name are you two doing here?"

* * *

"Mr. Herondale? I have the reports you requested on the recent murders of Ariella Cartwright and Tatiana Lovelace here for you." Said a young, brown haired Shadowhunter, quivering in the presence of the Institute head. Jace Herondale was gazing out the scenic windows of the library, taking in the sights. It was dull. He felt nothing, as always. He turned to the boy, golden eyes glaring at him, though he did nothing wrong. Jace had learned that his wards were much more efficient if he instilled fear in them. He wondered if this is how Valentine felt when raising him.

"Very good, Zachary. Now leave me be. I have business to attend to." Jace snapped, unbuttoning his blazer before sitting in the high-backed chair accompanying his desk. It was littered with papers, all tracing back to the Fey. He had suspected for some time that they would make their move, but never like this. It had been the same in every city. Shadowhunters gone missing, and then turning up in bodies of water, drained of blood and stripped of Runes. Only an excessively powerful Downworlder could have the power to commit those acts, or a Shadowhunter, but that would but unthinkable after what this generation had gone through. Jace shuddered, but not at the monstrosity before him. He couldn't feel anymore, but it was excessively chilly in the library. Face devoid of emotion, Jace stepped into the greenroom, mechanically climbing the winding black staircase until he sat at the highest point, a habit he learned from _her._ Head for high ground when you needed to clear your mind. Pain shuddered through him, the only thing he truly felt these days.

Clary, the only woman he would ever love, was gone from him forever. She hated him, all because of that stupid brat. It had taken her away from him, like its mother had taken Jocelyn away from Valentine. One day, maybe, she would return his heart to him. One day, she might be able to fill the void where his soul once was.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Clary shrieked again, stepping hastily in the hallways, obscuring the pair's view into her house. They stood on the cheerily painted yellow front porch. Simon and Isabelle stared at Clary, making her self-conscience, something she hadn't felt in years. Clary stared back. Simon was the most drastically changed of them both. He had filled out, strong body marked with Runes. He no longer wore glasses or geeky gamer tee's, just the standard issue Shadowhunter gear. Regret filled Clary's stomach. Her former best friend was truly one of _them_ now, no longer the happy-go-lucky mundane boy he once was.

Isabelle, on the other hand, was as gorgeous as ever. Her twenties had been treating her well. Black hair was cut short, just below her shoulder blades, and her brown eyes were lined with silver. If it was even possible, she had gotten more beautiful.

It was at that time that Clary noticed Simon was donning a Lightwood family ring. He must've taken her name once he Ascended; yet another thing Clary had missed.

"You need to come home, Clary." Isabelle said simply, cutting right to the chase. Clary rolled her eyes. Simon stepped closer, reaching out for Clary's hand. She took a step backwards, back towards her front door. "You're repeating Jocelyn's mistakes, Clare." Simon whispered gently. He knew exactly what would hurt her the most, and she resented him for it. "If I can recall correctly, my mother was protecting me from a world of death and psychopathic fathers." Clary snapped, icily.

Simon and Isabelle exchanged a look, seemingly saying, _"Does she know?"_

"You know that's not what it's like. Believe it or not, we were a family. A family you broke up." Isabelle stated, but tears were starting to brim her eyes, shocking Clary. The Isabelle Lightwood she used to know did not cry. Ever. Simon nodded in agreement, comforting his- what? Girlfriend? Fiancée? Wife? Clary had no idea. She certainly was out of the loop, but that was the way she wanted it.

It would have been too painful otherwise.

"It wasn't my choice. He was going to- you know what? I don't know why I'm bothering. I can't go home. You may not understand, but I sure as hell do not need to explain it to you." Clary growled, marching back into her house, slamming the door shut. Unfortunately, her deadbolt was broken, but it wouldn't do much against two Shadowhunters with strength runes and steles anyways.

Ceilea and Andrew gazed up at their mother, worriedly. Ceilea was patting Andrew's arm, eyes full with tears. "Oh, darlings. Don't cry. Mommy won't be going to work tonight, alright? But we are going to have to pack a bag. We need to get out of here-" The front door swung open was Clary was embracing her children. Isabelle's eyes were wide and Simon's jaw dropped. "Well," Isabelle started, stepping inside. "Magnus wasn't lying when he said there was more to the story. Care to explain?"

After giving the twins a short explanation on to whom these strangers were, they settled in to the worn brown couch beside their mother, opposite Isabelle and Simon. "Magnus and Tessa helped me leave New York. I knew I couldn't stay. Jace threatened my child, said that if I didn't get an abortion, he would arrange it himself. What would you do, Izzy?" Clary said, using her nickname. It was easy to settle back into old habits, even dangerous ones. Isabelle's black eyes were filled with empathy, clutching Simon's hand hard. Their Lightwood rings dug into each other's palms. Clary remembered the day when she thought she and Jace would be married one day, before he started to slip into his new ways. Clary heard Ceilea sniff with indignation, not believing someone couldn't possibly want her. Clary suppressed a smile. Herondales.

"I promise I won't let anything happen to your kids, Clary. Just please come back with us. There's been things happening in New York that we need your help with. Also, your family misses you. I miss you. Parabatai, remember?" Simon spoke so much like a Shadowhunter now, words flowing with the same grace he now moved with. It was quite the change from her klutzy, awkward friend.

After a long pause of deliberation, Clary slowly nodded her head.

"Cely, Drew, go pack your bags. Bring enough to last for two weeks. We're visiting New York City." The twins skittered off, confusion battling with excitement.

"You're making the right choice, Clary." Isabelle smiled at her. There was a time when they were as close as sisters, when they would have taken a Seraph blade for each other. Now, Clary felt nothing.

"I better be."

**I'm sorry I'm portraying Jace as a Valentine-like character, it'll all make sense later, I swear. Keep on reading! Remember to follow, fave, and review :)Remember, reviews=new chapters :P**


	3. It's All Coming Back To Me Now

**And here it is. If the characters seem OOC, it's because they're all grown up and war torn. You can't go through what they did and not change!****I still don't own anything but the plotline and my imagination. If I owned TMI/TID/TDA ect, well Wessa would've had a better ending. Not that hers was bad.. I'm rambling. Enjoy! Next chapter once three more people review! P.s. wow, you guys are just on a reviewing roll! It's a good thing I wrote a whole bunch of chapters ahead of time! I won't be updating as frequently during the week, because high school and running and band, but I'll try my hardest. **

**Chapter Two**

Stepping though the Portal going to New York was one of the hardest things Clary had ever done. For seven years, she managed to live a normal life and raise two wonderful children on her own. Now, all of that would be for nothing. How was she supposed to protect Ceilea and Andrew from the demons that roamed the streets, and the halls of the Institute alike? _Stop that, _she commanded her mind. Comparing her ex-boyfriend to a multi-dimensional parasite would not help her readjust to life here. Things were different, and maybe Jace went back to the kind, caring boy he used to be. With a heavy sigh, Clary picked up her bags and climbed up the stairs to Magnus's familiar apartment.

* * *

"Jace?" A voice resonated through the hallways. Alec. He was the only person currently in the Institute that didn't address him as 'Mr. Herondale".

Isabelle and Simon also refused, but they were away. Where, Jace didn't inquire.

He didn't want to know, as they were sickenly in love. Alec Lightwood stuck his head into the library, blue eyes peering around until they settled on Jace.

"Yes?" Jace asked, despondent. He didn't even bother looking up from his papers. He knew Alec would be brief. "I'm heading to Magnus's. There's something… Someone important is visiting. Someone we used to know…" Alec's voice trailed off and Jace's head snapped up. He narrowed his golden eyes. His Parabatai was being incredibly vague, uncommon for the very concise Alec. He would always tell Jace the whole truth, all the parts of the story, unless it was about _her_. "Alec, who did Magnus say it was?" Jace snapped, not wanting to play this game. He had so much work to do and could not afford to get his hopes up. Alec gazed at the fraying ends of his jacket, eyebrows crinkled in deliberation. "Alexander Gideon Lightwood. As head of this Institute, and you Parabatai of over thirteen years, I demand to know what is going on." Alec's face went pale, almost as if he were scared of Jace.

"Fine!" He snapped, blue eyes clashing with gold. His glare seemed to say, "If you get hurt again, this is entirely your fault."

"It's her. Magnus said Clary is back."

And for the first time in seven years, Jace Herondale felt something other than hatred and pain. He felt hope. She had finally come back to him.

* * *

Once her children had run off, busying themselves with tormenting the now ancient Chairman Meow, Clary turned her blazing green eyes on Magnus.

"How could you?" Demanded Clary, hands on her hips. Tessa and Magnus had both promised to never reveal her location, to never track her down. It was too dangerous, they all agreed on that. "What would Tessa say if she knew you broke our arrangement?" Magnus whirled around on Clary, cat eyes ignited with anger.

"I didn't think you needed seven years to think things through! Tessa and I both thought you were overreacting, but we knew that if we didn't help you, you'd leave anyways and we'd have no way of ever finding you." He shouted, before regaining his composure. Clary had never seen Magnus lose his temper like that, but then again, everyone she used to know wasn't themselves these days.

"Okay, I think it's time for everyone to calm down. Clary, a lot has happened while you were in Georgia. Please, sit down and let us explain." Isabelle said soothingly. If there was anyone who could get Clary's temper in check, it was Izzy.

"Fine." Clary said, putting her hands up. White flags were waving on both sides, and she owed them an explanation, and they did as well.

Isabelle launched into a story, with help from Simon and Magnus, about everything she had missed. The Clave was still the corrupt body of government all Shadowhunters were required to listen to, and they were having their own version of the mundane Cold War with the Fair Folk. The Seelie Queen had retreated into the depths of her Court, threatened by the darker Unseelie Court. According to informants, the Unseelie Court had control now. Clary tried to imagine something worse than the Faeries she had encountered, and couldn't. Consul Penhallow and Inquisitor Lightwood had been cracking down on the slightest infractions of the law, almost like Valentine's war against Downworlders. They had even taken little Emma Carstairs and her Parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, into custody and had them separated. Someone had spread a rumor that they were involved in an illicit relationship with each other. Clary tried to imagine the now not so young blonde girl breaking the law and failed. She lived in London now, while Julian stayed in Los Angeles. Clary thought she should pay a visit some time soon.

Sometime during the report, Ceilea and Andrew had snuck in, cuddling into Clary's side. They were instantly asleep. Too much excitement for one day, she supposed. Although she longed for a time when things were simpler, Clary had to admit her children were the best things to ever happen to her.

"Jocelyn and Luke are doing fine, by the way. They actually have a little girl, just the same age as your children. Felicity Graymark. She looks just like you. They call her Fleecy." Simon said, eyeing Clary. Her heart contracted at the mention of her parents. She hadn't asked about them, building on the list of things she had to be guilty about. "I should call them." Clary murmured. Jocelyn must've gone insane with worry. It was good that she had a new little girl to obsess over. Maybe this Felicity wouldn't be as much of a screw up as her elder daughter.

"You can do better than that, Clary. Go see them. I'll ask Tessa to take you. She has a very calming presence over people."

Clary nodded in agreement as Magnus went back to staring out the window. He seemed more on edge than usual, but then again, Clary didn't exactly know what that was anymore. The doorbell buzzed, and Magnus shot up. Clary glanced at him questionably.

"Alec." He shrugged. Clary was glad they were still together. The elder Lightwood was always at his best when Magnus was around.

The door swung open, and Alec stepped into the living room. He looked the same, except older, and his black hair was cropped instead of falling to his jaw line. Gel did good things for him. Alec's blue eyes regarded coldly as he stepped aside, allowing a taller, more muscular man to enter. Everyone around Clary went stiff, and she didn't understand why, until he stepped closer to Clary.

It was Jace.

In an instant, Clary's arms were around Ceilea and Andrew, pulling them close, shielding them from their father. The twins stirred, but Clary prayed to the Angel they would stay asleep. This was a confrontation she hoped they could avoid.

Jace's golden eyes were cold, seemingly to have lost their constant warmth of love and caring. Instead, his posture was stiff, instead of the lazy bend he had when crossing his arms and leaning against a wall somewhere. He had swapped his signature jeans and black t-shirt look for a blazer and khaki pants. Clary hardly recognized him. His eyes slid from Clary's down to the two children she had clinging to her side, expression hardening even more. An ugly scowl crossed his once beautiful face. His lip twitched.

"Well, Clarissa, I have to say, I knew you were disloyal and faithless, but I had no idea you would have relations with another man so soon after me." His voice was formal, emotionless. This older Jace was like an ice sculpture, compared to the warm, loving boy he had once been. Clary blamed her self for speeding the process along, but it started before she left him.

Clary was unable to speak, so someone else piped up.

"What do you mean, Jace?" Simon asked warily. He was rewarded with a cruel half-smirk. He sunk back further into his chair and laid a protective hand on Isabelle's. Jace rolled his eyes like the answer was obvious. He pointed to the twins.

"She has two. Unless one is adopted, she must've had sex with someone else. What a whore." His voice was seeping with hostility and sarcasm. This wasn't him. It couldn't be. Clary could have never fallen in love with a man like this. She cleared her throat, blinking tears out of her eyes. "Twins." She choked out. "They're twins." The first three words she had imagined saying to Jace after seven years had not been those, but nothing ever went as planned. Jace squinted, as if noticing for the first time that both the children had his golden complexion. His face softened marginally.

"What are their names?" He inquired, eyebrows knit together. He still seemed detached, but at least he was showing interest.

"Ceilea Lucie and Andrew William Herondale." Clary said, not meeting his eyes. The two children stirred at the sound of their names, waking up. Andrew opened his eyes first and sat up, blinking the sleep away. He looked like a small Jace, and she could tell he noticed. Clary heard a sharp inhale of breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jace duck into the hallway and wondered what he was thinking.

* * *

Twins. He was the father of twins. Just his luck. He figured he could easily separate Clary from one of her spawn, but two? That was more of a challenge.

He also hadn't expected his son to have the face he saw looking back at him in the mirror when he was a boy. And the girl, she looked like Clary, except with his hair. How could he kill two small, defenseless humans that bore so much resemblance to the woman he loved? Jace sunk against the wall. How could even consider that? Clary would never forgive him. By the Angel, he would never forgive himself.

He had to get out. It was a mistake to come and see her. He should have listened to Alec, but Jace Herondale was unreasonable these days. Standing up, he regained his composure and strode out of the hallway. Clary had a look of concern on her face, gazing down at the now awake children. She stroked the girl's, Ceilea, golden curls and murmured reassurances. Andrew, however, was up and moving. He spotted Jace and sunk into a corner; clearly afraid of the man he didn't know what his father.

He ignored the glances at him and turned to Clary, whose emerald green eyes watched him carefully. "In case it becomes too crowded here, it is my mandate to allow you and your children a room at the Institute. In light of the recent events, it would be wise of you to take me up on my offer." Jace addressed her formally, face void of emotion. Clary gave him a peculiar look, but simply nodded, avoiding his gaze. And with that, Jace exited the apartment in search of the nearest bar.

**Same, Jace. Same. Review and the next chapter will be up in no time! Goodbye, for now! **


	4. Soul Colder than Chilled Whiskey

**Chapter Three has arrived! I promise there will be some fluff coming up. From what ship? The world may never know... Anyways, I don't own Cassie's original characters, but I did create the new ones. So yeah. next chapter goes up when I get 10 reviews! PS, I know Jace is ice cold and I'm slightly sorry about that, but it's fun for me to write *shrugs shoulder and smirks* P.S.S, I'm getting so much more feedback on this than on Afterwards and Blackstairs! I might discontinue afterwards but I'm not sure. Enjoy! **

The Hunter's Moon was bustling with activities. Werewolves from around the city sat at the bar, eyeing the singular Shadowhunter disdainfully. They would have said something, preferably rude, but this one was special.

He was Jace Herondale, head of the New York Institute, and would have had their heads on a silver platter.  
Throwing back shot after shot of amber liquid, Jace sat alone at the bar. Werewolves had come and gone all night, and it was nearly daybreak.

The bartender, Freaky Pete, sighed, pushing another glass in front of him.

Jace downed it, slamming the glass down as an indication that he wanted more. The bartender rolled his eyes.

"Herondale!" He roared, crossing his hairy arms across his chest, glaring at the Shadowhunter. "I think you've had enough for one night."

Jace lifted his head, a singular curl falling into his eyes. It was time for a haircut, he thought absent-mindedly. He would ask Isabelle in the morning.

"You know what, dog? I think I know my own limits. It's yet another unbelievable talent of mine. It's very stressful to be so superiror to everyone else." Jace sighed sarcastically. He was the head of the New York Institute. No one could tell him what to do, especially not an overgrown mutt.

Freaky Pete gripped the bar counter, growling menacingly.

The front door chimed as someone else stepped in.

"I seem to remember a scene like this eight years ago, and if I can recall correctly, which I can, things didn't work out for you too well, Pete. Take a walk, blow off some steam." The new voice was ringing with authority. Freaky Pete nodded and exited the bar, throwing Jace one last disgusted look. Out of the corner of his eye, Jace saw the man sit in the stool next to him.

Luke Graymark.

Although he hadn't been pack leader for a long time, every werewolf in New York knew who he was and that he was to be listened to. Jace secretly longed for the type of respect Luke possessed.

"Hello, Lucian." Jace nodded tersly, agknowledging the older man. The flourencent celing lights emphasized the grey streaks in his hair. "How's Fleecy and Jocelyn?"

Luke scowled at Jace. He knew they weren't on the best of terms, but Jace had too much alcohol in his system to care.

"Do you know how hard it is to sit calmly in front of the man that drove your oldest daughter out of town, broke her heart, and not do anything rash about it?" Luke's voice was steely. Scary calm, as one once described it to him.

"She's not actually your daughter." Jace pointed out, knowing very well he wouldn't take it lightly.

"Yes, well I suppose you don't know much about family, since you ruined yours."

Jace's head snapped up, eyes widening as he glanced at Luke, the silent question in his amber eyes. Did he know?

Luke sighed, pushing his glasses back up his nose, magnifying his blue eyes. "Yes, Jace. Of course I know. I didn't when she first left town, but she called me today. I'm supposed to see her and her children tomorrow. You're a disgusting man, Johnathan Herondale. An irresponsible, despicable excuse for a man."

Jace shrugged off his accusation. He didn't care. He did what he had to, and at the time, it's what he had to do.

"If that's what you think, it must be an unpopular opinion since I still run the Shadow World of New York." Jace said haughtily.

Luke's gaze hardened, and his hands were shaking, a tell tale sign of the Change.

He took a few slow, calming breaths before continuing.

"She lived in Georgia, the smallest town you could imagine, working double shifts so she could support her two children, all by herself. She lived in a rundown, shoebox of a house. I know from Jocelyn how hard it is to be a single parent, especially in the mundane world. Do you care at all, Jace? Can't you feel anything anymore?"

Rage boiled in Jace's stomach, ready to explode.

"Why should I? She left me. She ran when things got hard, just like your precious Jocelyn. She stole my heart and stabbed it. She ruined me."

Luke just stared at Jace like he didn't regonize him. He stood up and began to walk away. As an afterthought, he turned around to face Jace, who had gone back to his whiskey.

"If you truly felt that way, you wouldn't have waited seven years for Simon and Isabelle to finally work up the courage to ask Magnus to find Clary. You would have done that yourself. You could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve my daughter."

Freaky Pete reentered the bar, glancing at Jace warily. Luke must've said something to him before he departed. The bartender displayed the bottles Jace had consumed with a flourish. Jace just shrugged, rising out of his chair. He was disoriented, unsteady on his feet. Wobiling, he made his way out of the bar.

"Should I send the bill to the Institute? I'm sure the kids living there would love to see what their fearless leader has been up to! Maybe even the Clave?" Pete called after him.

Jace made a very rude gesture with his middle fingers, and made his way on foot to Brooklyn.

* * *

"Clary, are you really considering his offer?" Isabelle asked cautiously.

Clary had been silently sitting on Magnus's couch, shell-shocked and freezing from the coldness behind Jace's eyes. Simon had helped put Andrew and Ceilea to bed, willingly getting to know her children. It was a welcome sight. At least she'd have a few people looking out for them.

"I don't know. It might be the safest place, and whether I like it or not, my children are Shadowhunters. They may as well be trained like one." Clary shuddered, wishing she could've stayed in the mundane world. She knew something wicked was stiring, and she knew she could help. The Institute was the most secure place in New York, aside from its head.

"Jace isn't the same person he was when you left, Clary. He's unhinged, broken." Isabelle grimanced as she spoke the words, glancing over at Alec. He was nodding in agreement, a rueful smile on his lips. They were all thinking of the way things used to be.

"Is it really that bad?" Asked Clary, already knowing the answer. All four of the adults in the room nodded their heads, even Alec.

"Do you still live at the Institute?" Clary asked Isabelle, who confirmed that she did. "Well if you and Simon are living there, I suppose I could give it a shot. You won't let him hurt them, right?"

"Absolutely. They're wonderful children, Clare-bear. You did a good job raising them." Clary smiled at Simon graciously.

Hopefully it would be enough.

* * *

Later that evening, Clary stalked off to bed, shrouded in warm blankets.

New York was so much colder than Georgia.

There was a light knock on Clary's door. "Come in." She yawned, eyes barely open. It had been a long day. Alec entered, blue eyes uncertain of what he was doing. Clary raised a questionable eyebrow, something she prided herself in learning how to do. He had his hands concealed in his pockets with his fraying sweater sleeves pulled over. Some things never changed. It made her smile.

"I'm surprised you don't have a southern accent now. You were gone for a long time." Alec said lightly, but the undertones of anger were certainly there. They had hit some rocky patches, but Clary really had considered them friends before she departed. Enduring Edom together could make even the bitterest of enemies become best friends.

"What is it, Alec?" Clary sighed, not in the mood to be berated, but knowing Alec, a long lecture was coming.

"How could you?" He accused, like he was personally offended by Clary's choices. She supposed he would be, since he was Jace's Parabatai, and personal attack dog.

"You saw Ceilea and Andrew, didn't you? I'm sure Jace never mentioned them. He wouldn't have, since he threatened to kill my baby when I first became pregnant."

Alec scowled. "I suspected, but no, he never told me. Clary, you shouldn't have left. He would never have done anything, he's not a bad man. He was stressed out over the Clave appointing him as the new head of the Institute. And then you left him. Do you have any idea what you did to him?"

Clary looked away, not wanting to hear this. He was trying to paint Jace as the victim, to make her pity him. He didn't love her, or even care for her anymore. It was clear. He only offered her a place at the Institute because they needed her to stay safe, but only because of her rune abilities. The not so little girl was needed to stop yet another big war.

"Alec, I'm truly sorry Jace is hurting, but he was changing. Couldn't you feel it? The Jace I fell in love with when I was fifteen would have never, ever, threatened the life of our child. The Jace I fell in love with would've come after me, begging for forgiveness. He didn't do that. Instead, he retreated into his little empire and pretended none of it ever happened." Clary was more bitter than she thought. In the land of abundant peaches and humidity, she had forgotten how utterly heartbroken she had been, but time heals all wounds.

"Is that really what you think, Clary?" Alec asked, regarding her coldy. Clary nodded yes. "Then you're more of an idiot than I ever presumed."

* * *

The sun was just starting to come up when she felt the mattress move next to her. It was a common occurance for Andrew or Ceilea to crawl into bed with her after a nightmare. Clary rolled over to the other side. She smelled liquor.

Instantly, she was awake, springing out of bed. Amber orbs regarded her in the twilight.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" Clary whisper-shouted. All she wanted to do was scream, but she thought maybe she could get him to go quietly.

Jace got up, stalking over to her. She shrunk back into the corner of the room.

"Clary, Clary, Clary." He slurred, taking one of her dark red curls in his fingers. He was drunk, still reeking of a bar, and strangely enough, wet dog.

"Come any closer, and I'll scream." She hissed at him, but avoided his gaze. She had never seen him drunk before, and from what she had heard, he was already emotionally unstable.

Jace thought over her words momentarily. "Yes, I seem to remember you doing a lot of that. Either fighting demons, or in bed." He gave her a lazy smirk. Clary recoiled. How could he say something like that? She closed her eyes tight, hoping this was another nightmare.

"You're not real." She announced, more for her sake than his.

"Oh, I'm very real. I just needed to see you." His face became very serious, and he brought his lips down on hers.

Clary froze, not knowing what to do. She hadn't kissed someone in seven years. She shoved against his chest, attempting to push him off of her, but he wouldn't budge. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her. He broke away, only to whisper in her ear, "I knew you'd come back for me, Clary."

That's when Clary started screaming bloody murder.

Magnus and Alec came rushing in, blue sparks erupting from the Warlock's hands. Alec was glaring at Jace, like he couldn't believe his idiocricy. Jace reluctantly pulled away from Clary, not even having the grace to look ashamed.

Clary exhaled. That wasn't a kiss. It was pressure against her mouth that unearthed horribly beautiful memories of a different time, a time where she enjoyed Jace's company, and his kisses even more.

"Jace, I think it's time for you to head home. Get back to your Institute, boy." Magnus regarded Jace coldy. He scowled at him.

"I can't. Luke told me to talk to Clary, so here I am. I'm not leaving until she talks to me." He almost fell over, caught by Alec, who set him upright.

"Clary will come talk to you tomorrow, once you've sobered up. Isn't that right, Clary?" Alec said calmly, pleading eyes trained on her. She shot him a look.

"Yes, that's right." Clary sighed. She had to go out anyways. Tessa was going to take her to see her mother.

Jace nodded his head, slightly mollified. He moved to leave the room, but abruptly stopped. He turned back to Clary.

"I want to meet them."

**GASP! Oh no, what does he want with the twins? The world may never know. Well, I do. Remember, reviews=chapters! xoxo**


	5. The Kids Are Not Alright

**A/N: Here it is, Chapter Four! I pre typed the story and the little authors notes so if I'm not addressing concerns or responding to reviews, I will once I do more writing. Anyways, disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, except the ones I made, blah blah blah. You've heard it all before. So with out further ado, enjoy! Next chapter at hmm... let's say 25 reviews?**

The next morning, Clary woke up from one of her worst nightmares yet.

Jace hadn't left quietly; instead he took her children away from her.

Clary shivered, pulling the blankets around her, putting her head between her knees. He couldn't ever do that, could he?

They were half of him, so he should love them no matter what.

Valentine had hated Clary, he told her himself. Jocelyn had fled for the same reasons Clary had. What if Jace shared his adoptive father's views?

* * *

"C'mon Andy, we have to go get mommy!" Shrieked Ceilea, tugging on her brother's thick, blonde curls. Andrew gave her a disdainful look, golden eyes blazing.

"Cely, we have plenty of time! I'm sure she's still asleep." Responded Andrew, rolling away from his sister's green-eyed glare. Their door opened, and their mother stepped in. She was dressed in the same clothes they had seen the other adults wearing yesterday. Thick and black. Ceilea didn't think it looked very comfortable.

"Alright, love bugs, it's time to get dressed. We have some important errands to run." She placed outfits for them on the foot of their bed. Ceilea grimaced when she realized she would have to wear a dress. She'd much rather wear what her mother was wearing. Andrew, noticing her discomfort, stuck his tongue out at her. Ceilea rolled her eyes.

Whatever they were doing today, she already did not like it.

* * *

"You need to relax." Isabelle scolded him, watching her brother pace back and forth frantically.

He constantly ran his hands through his hair, tugging angrily. It was a habit he had started up after he took over the Institute, after she left.

It killed her to see him this way, slowly self-destructing. A few more months and he may end up dead. It was one of Isabelle's reasons for tricking Magnus into revealing Clary's location.

Isabelle had been shocked at how well Clary hid herself. She'd always assumed Clary had stayed somewhere close, somewhere she knew. According to Simon, she had never been to Georgia, or anywhere besides New York.

Maybe that had been intriguing to her.

Isabelle didn't know.

What she did know is that her brother was about to drive himself into the Silent City, and only Clary could save him.

"How am I supposed to relax, Isabelle? Tell me." Jace snapped, anger filling his amber eyes. Isabelle was at a loss of words. She turned to Simon for help, but he wasn't there, out visiting his mother and sister.

"I have an entire city to protect, especially now that there are Shadowhunters being brutally murdered across the world. Now, Blake and Cambry are telling me Downworlders are being targeted. There could not have been a worse time for my estranged girlfriend to reappear." His eyes were bloodshot, and Isabelle could practically hear his heartbeat. She felt bad for the three Shadowhunter teenagers living in the Institute, constantly being Jace's verbal punching bag.

They had suffered enough in their lives, they didn't need the Head of the Institute constantly berating them over small things that didn't matter, or things that weren't their faults.

"You know Jace, ever since she left you seven years ago, you've turned in to a major douche bag. You were always kind of a jerk, but we all put up with it. Now? Well even Alec can't tolerate you for extended periods of time." Isabelle snapped, black eyes boring into Jace's. He froze, but only momentarily, returning to his pacing.

"Even before I knew about Andrew and Ceilea, I knew she was going to leave you." Isabelle finished cruelly. She knew her words would sting, even if he may not show it.

Jace kept his face devoid of emotion, but Isabelle could discern what was going on inside.

"Get out." He sneered, and she did.

* * *

Clary stood in front of the New York Institute, something she never thought she'd ever have to do again. Sighing, she untangled a hand from Andrew and pressed her palm to the door. "In the name of Raziel, I, Clarissa Fairchild, ask permission to-" The door swung open. Clary stepped inside, Andrew and Ceilea following.

"I thought mommy's last name was 'Fray'?" Ceilea asked her brother, perplexed. Andrew just shrugged. Clary grimaced. There was so much her children didn't know, and hopefully never would.

"You'd think in seven years they would replace the elevator." Clary muttered to herself after being thrown around in the metal deathtrap. Ceilea and Andrew were fascinated with the Institute, eyes filled with awe as they wandered around. Clary stared after them, a sad smile on their lips. She had held her breath until their sixth birthday, convinced the Clave was going to come and ask her children to join the Nephillim. They didn't, presumably because no one knew where she was.

Clary wondered if they would have said yes.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. Clary whirled around to face two teenagers, donning bloody gear and faded runes. They must've been residents of the Institute coming back from patrols.

One of the pair gasped, a chestnut haired girl with warm brown eyes that widened at the sight of Clary. The strawberry blonde, blue-eyed girl next to her shot her a sharp look. "It's you! You're the girl from the picture on Mr. Herondale's desk! He's always staring at it every time we have to go into his office. It's pretty pathetic." Said the brunette, bouncing up and down in her boots. They both looked about sixteen.

"Shut up, Cambry!" Snapped the blonde one with exasperation. She brushed back her straight hair unconsciencly, revealing a Parabatai rune. The other girl, Cambry, shrugged. "Sorry, Blake, but it's really the only thing he ever does. Besides yell at us." Clary stifled her shock. These girls seemed so sweet. Outspoken, but sweet.

She wondered how Jace could ever yell at them.

"I'm sorry about my Parabatai. I'm Blake Kingsmill, and this is Cambry Townsend. We both live here as Jace Herondale's ward. There's another, but he's off sulking. Mr. Herondale can be quite awful sometimes." Clary heard Cambry mutter something along the lines of, "more like all the time."

She gave the girls a sad look. They had obviously been through a lot.

"When did you two come to live here?" Clary asked, truly interested.

"About six years ago. Our parents were best friends, but they both died in an accident." Said Blake, looking away. Her light blue eyes grew darker with remorse. Cambry patted her back. "Were they part of the New York Conclave? I don't remember ever knowing the Kingsmills or Townsends." They both gave Clary curious looks. Before Clary could respond, Ceilea came rushing towards her.

"Mommy! Mommy! I can't find Andrew!" She announced, tugging on Clary's black gear jacket. Clary sighed as her son reappeared further down the hallway, smirking at his sister. Ceilea ran off in a huff of annoyance. Hide and go seek was Clary's least favorite game to referee. She turned back to the two girls, who both had their jaws dropped. They glanced at each other for a long time before speaking.

"Who are you?" Blake asked skeptically, staring down the hall Clary's children had disappeared down.

"Clarissa Fairchild."

"I should have guessed. You were the little girl who stopped a big war, the one who dated Mr. Herondale. They look like him." Cambry said, face full of disbelief. "Well, you're not exactly little anymore." She added, sheepishly.

"Sorry we're badgering you like this. We just never knew Mr. Herondale had children, or could love anyone for that matter." Blake piped up, having no problem insulting Jace.

He must've been awful to them.

"Well, Miss Kingsmill, the claws have certainly come out." A new voice said, emerging out of a hallway, full of mock hurt. They all turned, the teenager's eyes filling with unconcealed fear. "Mr. Herondale! Uh, we were just- I was- Um, leaving! Yes, we're leaving!" Cambry stammered, pulling her Parabatai away, leaving Clary alone with Jace.

Clary folded her arms across her chest, glaring at Jace.

He had gotten much taller, most likely around 6'4 now, and his golden curls were cut much shorter. His face had hardened, and his amber eyes were bloodshot. He clearly had a hangover.

"Clarissa." He regarded her with cold eyes.

"Mr. Herondale." She said mockingly, remembering what Blake and Cambry had referred to him as. He was obviously abusing his power. She wondered what the Clave would think.

He smirked at her, running a hand through his blonde hair. His eyes took her in, calculating instead of lovingly.

"Where are they?" He asked, voice full of something like discontempt. How could someone dislike their own children before they even met them?

"I brought them, like you wanted, but I don't think you should be allowed to meet them. I don't know who you are, or what you're capable of." Clary's tone was toxic, spitting out the words like poison. Jace's detached demeanor fell apart.

"How could you say that, Clary? We were in love. I loved you! I had never loved anyone like I loved you! I gave you my heart, and you stabbed it. You destroyed me, just like Valentine said." He was so full of pain, so bitter. Clary just wanted to take him in her arms and tell him everything would be all right. But it wouldn't be. He had changed, and Clary had grown up.

"You're not the same Jace Herondale I used to know. You're cold, calculating, and cruel. I saw the way those kids were so wholly afraid of you. You terrorize them! I can't let you do that to Ceilea and Andrew. It's better for them to have no father than one like you." Clary was so caught up in her anger, she barely noticed the two small, blonde heads that crept into the room. Their faces were so full of shock, staring up at Jace. They were smart, and they had put the puzzle pieces together.

Clary gulped as Andrew stepped forward. He was the one always asking about his father, always doubting the story that he had died in a car accident. Jace, following Clary's gaze, turned around and stared back.

Tears began to fill Andrew's eyes. Ceilea caught at his wrist, but he smacked it away.

"Drew, no." Clary said warningly, but he didn't listen. Jace crouched down closer to the floor as caught Andrew as he surged into his arms. Terror rose up in Clary as she sucked in a breath. Ceilea's green eyes matched Clary's, full of fear for her brother.

Jace was still, eye muscles twitched. She heard a choking sound, before realizing it was a sob.

**This is a Clace/Sizzy/Malec story, I promise. I just need to keep building up to a point where Clace can happen. Remember, Reviews=Chapters!**

**P.S. you guys are the greatest! also, once I finish this fic, it would be cool if you could vote on either a wessa fic or a last hours one for what I should write next. **

**Toodles! **


	6. Breaking Down

**I don't really have much to put in my author's note besides complaining about all the extracurriculars I got myself into, but you guys don't care xD** **I'm really exited because it's getting warm again where I live. That means I don't have to wear leggings when I run. Horray! Anyways, enjoy! P.S, I'm sorry if you don't like the new characters, but they're the new generation of Shadowhunters and are relevant to the new issues that are arising. P.S.S, 24 reviews is good enough, right? **

A sob escaped his lips. What was wrong with him? He gazed into the eyes of his son, Andrew, and saw himself. An uncorrupted, purely good version of Jace Herondale.

Tentatively, as if she was scared of him, Ceilea walked towards them. Her brother gave her a small nod, alerting her that it was okay. She had inherited Clary's emerald green eyes. It was painful to look at. He noticed Clary, standing as far away from him as possible in this small hallway, glaring at him. She didn't trust him, hated him even. It was to be expected. After all, he did break her heart.

But unlike Jace, heartbreak looked good on her. Her dark scarlet hair was long, falling in curls to her chest, and she had grown a few inches. She was the spitting image of Jocelyn, the ferocious woman that blamed Jace for all of her problems. Like mother, like daughter, he supposed.

Standing up, he detached himself from his children and walked over to Clary, defenses shattered and heart on his sleeve.

"We need to talk." Jace said, staring directly into her eyes. She looked away after giving him a deadly glare.

"I don't want you around me." Clary hissed, stepping away. Andrew gave his mother a curious glance, while Ceilea stepped in between Jace and Clary, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you did to my mommy, but she doesn't want you near here so you better stay away." She spat, taking her mother's hand. She reminded him of Camille Bellecourt, the former clan leader of New York. All she needed was a wide-brimmed hat and opulent pearl necklaces. Jace bent down to her level again.

"Would you like to know what I did?" Jace asked the little girl. She scowled at him, but nodded yes.

"I gave her you two. I'm your father." Ceilea narrowed her green eyes and clenched her fists.

"My father is dead, or at least he is to my mother." She replied haughtily, nose turned up like a true Shadowhunter. Clary smiled proudly down at her daughter. Jace was taken aback by the amount of attitude the little girl had.

"Cely, it's time to go." Clary said, tugging on her hand. She gave Jace one last glance before following her mother and brother into the elevator.

* * *

"Another set deemed unusable." Sighed Blake, tossing her ruined gear into the ever-growing pile of ichor covered jackets.

Isabelle Lightwood, Mr. Herondale's adoptive sister, kept the two girls well-clothed, but would probably be horrified by the amounts of clothing they destroyed. A woman like Isabelle might consider it blasphemy.

Unlike Mr. Herondale, Isabelle and her fiancée, Simon, were kind-hearted, always disagreeing with his ways of running the Institute.

Even Mr. Herondale's own Parabatai seemed to dislike him. At least Blake finally had some insight on to who he really was.

"Camb?" Asked Blake, filing down her nails. The longer they were, the more demon guts got under them. It wasn't pleasant.

"What is it, B?" She called back, distracted by cleaning off her silver chakrams.

"Why do you think Clary left Mr. Herondale?" Blake asked her Parabatai. It was a valid question, but Cambry just laughed at her.

"Would you stay with him? He's awful! I swear, he's absolutely heartless. With the way he treats us, people he's only required to care about by law, I can't imagine how he'd treat the woman he's supposed to love." Cambry disliked Mr. Herondale more than she did, which was really saying something.

When they first arrived six years ago, Mr. Herondale hadn't been like this. Yes, he was sad all the time, but he was responsible and truly seemed like he cared about his ward's well being.

Now, all he did was get drunk and yell at people.

"C, remember when we were supposed to be polishing knives a few days ago but I was a little late?" Blake whispered, hoping no one was around to here. It was ridiculous, as they were shut up in Cambry's room while Mr. Herondale inevitably yelled at Clary Fairchild.

"Of course I do. I had to do all the work by myself!" Cambry whined half-heartedly. Blake knew she could never be truly mad with her.

"Okay, I'm sorry about that but listen to this. Zachary was in the library talking to Mr. Herondale about the murders while I was fetching a book to read. He was in a really awful mood, like, more awful than usual. Anyways, so after Zachary left, Alec Lightwood went in and they started talking about some girl staying at Magnus Bane's house. Apparently she had been missing for seven years and had finally come back to New York. Mr. Herondale was really upset by that I could see it in his eyes. They both rushed to the warlock's house so fast I could swear up and down to the Angel that they're vampires." Blake reiterated her story, watching her best friend's face morph with confusion. They had both been under the impression that Mr. Herondale didn't care about anyone. Now they knew.

A knock on the door startled the two teenagers out of their reverie. They glanced at each other with panic before Cambry got up to open the door.

Mr. Herondale stepped in, without permission, arms folded across his chest. He wore his usual blue blazer and khaki pants with a white shirt underneath. He played the part of Institute Head well, fooling the council with his façade. Blake supposed it helped that Inquisitor Lightwood was his adoptive father.

He surveyed the room, golden eyes missing nothing. His eyebrows rose at the pile of damaged gear. Cambry quickly moved to stand in front of it, but he waved it away.

"I don't care about your bloody gear. That's for Isabelle to worry about. We went through way more when we were teenagers. The only one who ever kept theirs in relatively good condition was Clary-" He cut himself off, clearing his throat.

He folded his hands behind his back, deliberating on his next words.

"The red-headed woman you met early will be visiting Jocelyn Graymark this afternoon. Mr. Gladstone is occupied with prior engagements, so I request that you two follow Ms. Fairchild to the Graymark residence to ensure that nothing goes wrong. She hasn't been a Shadowhunter for seven years and most likely cannot protect herself." If Blake didn't know any better, she would have assumed that was concern in his voice, but she did know better.

"Of course, Mr. Herondale. We will have full reports for you this evening." Cambry said, clearly trying to get the man out of her room as quickly as possible.

He gave the two of them a long look before departing, firmly shutting the door behind him.

They both exhaled and fell back on the bed. Sometimes it was hard to remember that Mr. Herondale was only twenty-five years old, less than a decade older than them.

He carried himself with an air of self-importance, that his word was final and uncontestable.

His opinions were law.

Blake never followed the law very well.

"The law is hard, but it's the law." Cambry muttered to her sarcastically.

As usual, they were on exactly the same page.

* * *

All Clary wanted to do was go back home and cry. She didn't mean her old room at the Institute, or the orange painted guest room at Magnus's. She meant her small, cheerfully painted house in Georgia.

But unfortunately, she was stuck in New York for an undetermined amount of time.

She found Tessa sitting on the steps of the Institute, looking out of place in her very mundane clothing. They both grew up thinking they were regular humans, and that made Clary trust Tessa even more.

"Hello, Clary." She regarded her warmly, pulling Clary in for a hug. The older woman had been the most helpful in Clary's escape plan.

"How are you?" Clary asked. Tessa hadn't aged a day, still looking in her mid-twenties. She would stay that way for the rest of her life. Clary didn't envy her.

Tessa laughed. "Oh, I'm fine. It's your mother you should be worried about. I don't know how she'll react to them." Tessa responded, eyeing the two six year olds clinging to Clary's leg. They had both been so silent, most likely traumatized from the encounter with their father.

Ceilea had really stepped up. Without her interference, Clary wasn't sure what would have happened.

She was five minutes older than Andrew, and considered him weak-minded, always needing Clary to remind her that he was just more sensitive.

She wondered how Jace had known to appeal to Andrew instead of Ceilea.

"Clary? Clarissa?" Tessa asked, worriedly. Clary must've drifted back into her mind again, blocking out Tessa's words.

"I'm sorry." She laughed nervously. She was really going to see her family again, and they were going to meet her children.

"It's quite alright. Are you ready?"

Clary slowly nodded her head. "Let's go."

* * *

"So what are we going to tell him?" Blake asked, blue eyes darting around.

Cambry sighed. They were both heavily glamoured, keeping at least a block between them and Clarissa. She was with another young woman who bore no marks.

A warlock, maybe? Her demon's mark must've been well hidden.

"I have no idea. Probably some made up story. I really don't get why he wants us to stalk his ex-girlfriend for him though. It's unnerving." Cambry responded.

Clary ducked inside a door, leading up to a mid-sized brownstone apartment building. Her far-sighted rune allowed her to see the expression on her face: pure fear.

"I wonder why Clary looks so nervous. It's just her mother." Blake stated.

"From what I've heard, Jocelyn Fairchild, er, Graymark, is an unstoppable force of nature. I'd be nervous too."

* * *

Clary knocked on the door firmly and waited. Tessa shot her encouraging looks, but they did not help.

A small, redheaded girl with cornflower blue eyes opened the door. Her face was smudged with paints. She looked at Clary, eyes widening.

"Mommy?" Called the little girl, not taking her eyes off of Clary.

"What is it, honey?" Someone responded. Clary's chest clenched at the sound of her mother's voice.

Jocelyn materialized in the doorway, dropping the ceramic vase she had been holding. Pieces of clay, water and sunflowers landed on the hardwood floors of her apartment.

"Clary?" She asked, disbelief covered her face.

She stepped forwards, and the two of them hugged.

Jocelyn pulled away, only to notice the two blonde children standing behind her. Her green eyes hardened.

"Come in, Clarissa. You've got a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

Tessa sat on the couch near the window, watching with interest as Jocelyn wiped away her daughter's tears. Hearing Clary's story made her own heart weep.

She thought Stephen had been corrupted, but it seemed his son was even worse. When had the Herondale line gone wrong? William and Jamie had both seen hardships, but both of them maintained their genuine goodness. Owen and Marcus lived in times of relative peace among the Shadowhunters, but Stephen and Jace?

Tessa had to admit that the last of the Herondales had a very hard childhood, but that was no excuse for the way he had treated Clarissa and his children.

Ceilea and Andrew both sat on the floor, putting together Lego houses with their aunt of the same age, Felicity. The three Shadowhunter children could have passed for mundanes, enthralled by the toys they created for their own children.

She remembered Lucie, always fiddling with her typewriter or nose stuck in a book. She was glad Clary had chosen her daughter's name for Ceilea's middle one.

Andrew William, on the other hand, Tessa wasn't sure about. _His_ name had never been forgotten, causing many of her descendants to name their children after her husband. He had done a lot of good in his lifetime, but it still pained her with memories of him.

Tessa idly wondered if the Herondales would ever have blue eyes again.

**I'm not even sure how I feel about my writing anymore. In all honesty, I started writing fan fiction so I could learn how to keep a story going instead of just getting an idea and giving up half-way through (cough cough, my other fics, cough cough). Maybe I'll write a book someday. I don't know. Until then, you'll find me here, posting another chapter when I get 25 favorites/follows :) PS THIS CHAPTER WAS POOP AND I'M SORRY. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE A BILLION TIMES BETTER.**


	7. My Haunted Love

**Writing a story is hard guys. I honestly didn't think I would make it this far, but I also didn't think anyone would read it! More infrequent updates may happen, since I'm borderline about to have a stress induced panic attack. Don't take AP classes, children. It's not a good idea, especially not when you're involved in anything and everything you could be in high school. Anyways, sorry for my little life story. Please give feedback and favorite so you can be the first to know when I add new chapters! Enjoy!**

Isabelle sat in a small corner booth, shrouded from the prying eyes of the mundanes.

She idly twirled a piece of dark hair and waited for her companion.

Simon slid into the place besides her, glancing at her with concern. Isabelle swallowed. Nothing got passed Simon.

"How's your family?" Isabelle asked him, trying to get his attention off of her. It was a hard task, considering he was always concerned about her.

"Rebecca is fine. A little shaken up from her divorce, but fine. I think she's going away to Europe for a little while. You know, to clear her head. My mother's pretty torn up about it, but at least she doesn't have a million crucifixes stuck to her door anymore." Simon tried to joke, but Isabelle knew that he remembered the time during his vampire days. She almost wished Magnus didn't uncover the memories.

"Becky is a strong woman. Maybe now we have an excuse to take a vacation to Italy." Isabelle said lightly, but they both knew vacations would be out of the question for a long time.

"Seriously, Izzy. What's wrong? I know when something is bothering you." Simon said, brown eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, and I hate you for it." She responded, sticking her tongue out at him.

She sighed, pressing her forehead into her palms.

"It's Jace. I thought that if we found Clary and brought her back, he would go back to being himself, but I don't even know who that is anymore." Isabelle also didn't know Clary would have two tiny children clinging to her at all times. That certainly complicated things.

"I don't know what we expected. It's been seven years. He's not the same person he used to be, but we tolerate him anyways. We're a family, no matter what." Simon pulled Isabelle in close and stroked her hair.

"I think that's what Jace is banking on." Isabelle muttered, earning a peculiar look from her fiancée.

* * *

After Tessa had said her goodbyes, needing to meet her husband for an early dinner, Clary sat with her mother, watching their children.

She could tell Jocelyn was a little unnerved that her youngest daughter was the same age as her oldest daughter's children, but Clary had given birth just weeks after her eighteenth birthday.

She didn't know what made her mother more upset.

"I have half a mind to march into that Institute right now and knock some sense into that man." Muttered Jocelyn, staring off into the distance.

Clary shook her head. "It's really not worth it, mom. He's not Jace anymore. He won't listen to anyone."

"Daddy!" Felicity yelled suddenly, alerting Clary to Luke's entrance.

He had tears in his eyes as he moved to embrace his stepdaughter.

"God, Clary, you've certainly grown up. I didn't think it was possible, but you grew a few inches." Luke chuckled, poking fun at her.

Clary groaned. Short jokes had always been a common occurrence before she left.

Out of the corner of her eye, Clary noticed something rustle in the bushes. The window was open, allowing her to peer outside. A flash of blonde hair peaked her interest.

"You two can come out, you know." Clary announced, hoping she was right. The two girls emerged from their hiding places, looking sheepish. Clary waved away their embarrassment.

"Now, could you please tell me what you're doing here? And don't lie, I'm sure I've used every excuse in the book."

* * *

They now sat inside, clutching cups of tea that Jocelyn insisted they take.

"So, what you're saying is that Jace-, Mr. Herondale, sent you to follow me?" Clary asked with disbelief. She couldn't believe him. Did he really not trust that she could make her way to her mother's apartment without getting killed? She was a Shadowhunter, after all.

But the two girls simply nodded, confirming her doubts.

"We're really, really sorry, but it was an assignment. We have to follow orders, or we get yelled at." Cambry said, gazing intently at the ground.

"At least he sent us and not Zachary. He's sort of Mr. Herondale's sycophant." Blake added before returning to her silence.

Clary was grasping her mother's hand, most likely cutting off circulation. She could not comprehend that this was the man she fell in love with. But he wasn't, was he? She needed to have a very serious discussion with him about his behavior, whether she would like to or not. Maybe she could talk some sense into him.

"Mom, Luke, could you watch the twins for a few hours? There's something I need to take care of. Maybe we could all have a late dinner tonight." Ceilea and Andrew looked up from their games, but quickly returned to building the world's largest tower of red blocks with their new playmate.

"Yes, I think that will be fine. They seem to get along very well with Fleece." Luke said with a smile. Jocelyn looked a little unsure, but she was in no place to tell her adult daughter not to do what she wanted.

Clary motioned for the two teenagers to follow her, and they departed for the Institute.

The instant they were outside, Clary turned on the two girls.

"Tell me, how is he really? I know he's technically your boss, but don't sugar coat things."

Cambry stifled a laugh while Blake smirked.

"He may be in charge of us, but believe me, we're not loyal to him in any way, shape or form." Cambry said, rolling her eyes. The dislike for Jace that rolled off of the pair was palpable. It was a huge change from when she was a teenager. Any female in sight would be instantly in love with Jace Herondale.

"At first, he wasn't horrible. He treated us with kindness for the first few years, which is why Zach worships the very ground he walks on. Mr. Herondale was actually good at running the Institute, besides the fact that he spent the majority of everyday sulking in the library, staring at old photographs. After our third year there, some time in January I think, he just snapped. He went out almost every night, getting so drunk we had to help him walk up the front steps. We weren't allowed to tell anyone. He sent us on reckless assignments, claiming it would make us better Shadowhunters. I suppose he was right, but we almost died about a hundred times." Blake laughed without humor, glancing down at the scar that decorated her left arm.

"The only time he was ever nice to anyone was when a blonde girl, just a couple of years older than us, visited a year ago. The Clave took away her Parabatai and was sending her to London. I guess they used to know each other, because Mr. Herondale was really sympathetic." Clary slowly nodded her head.

It must've been Emma Carstairs. The poor girl almost had her marks stripped from her, from what Clary was told. She was starting to believe the rumors were true, but the punishment she received was incredibly harsh.

"Was he at least good to you?" Cambry asked, and Clary wished she hadn't. She didn't want to remember the good times of their relationship. It only made it harder to see him how he was now. She sighed, pressing a finger to her temple.

"He was. We were happy, really happy, for a little over a year." Clary said, feeling her throat close up and tears fill her eyes. She blinked them away, quickly. This was not the time to reminisce about the past.

"What happened?" Blake asked cautiously, catching on to Clary's shift in mood, but what too curious to let it go.

Clary gave her a sad smile.

"You two were both so young, seven or eight, if I'm correct? Enduring the Mortal and Dark wars was hard on everyone, but being at the center of them both when you were only a teenager? It's enough stress to traumatize anyone for a lifetime. Only a year after was Jace appointed to be the next head of the Institute. It was also the same month I became pregnant." Clary looked away from their shocked faces, counting to ten so she could regain her composure. They graciously did not say anything for the rest of the walk.

They were cutting through a small park when Clary froze. The air was colder here, and a sinister feeling swept over her.

"Stop!" She commanded, but it was too late. Blake had already put one of her feet on the ground, passing the boundary. Clary was surprised Jace hadn't warned them about the ley lines, considering all that had been happening.

"Seraph blade, now!" Clary shouted, already seeing the shadows taking on a solid form. Cambry threw one at her and ignited her own. Clary stepped in front of Blake, pushing her back, out of the darkness. "Ithuriel." She muttered under her breath, naming it after the Angel that had helped her throughout her entire life.

A small, hunched backed man approached them, his legs resembling a goat's.

_A satyr__**, **_Clary thought. She remembered from reading the Codex that they were the less dangerous of the Unseelie's creatures. She thanked Raziel it hadn't been a hobgoblin.

Clary stood up straight, chin tilted towards the sky. "State your business, Satyr. We do not have time for your folly right now."

"You crossed the line." He said simply, stamping his hoofed feet. "Pretty girls who cross the line must not be very smart. You shouldn't have crossed the line."

Clary stared him down. "I think _you_ are the one who crossed the line. It was your people who murdered all those Shadowhunters and Downworlders, wasn't it?"

The satyr chuckled. Clary noticed more shadow emerging from the trees behind him. She had to think fast.

"Silly girls. You do not know anything, but you did step over the line. You can't step over the line." He lunged at her, attempting to kick her in the skull with his hooves. Clary dodged, and Blake slashed him with her Seraph blade.

"Run!" Clary yelled as the shadows began to advance. They weren't very swift in their ethereal forms. As long as they could get out of the park, they would be contained.

Of course, things were never that easy.

Panting, Clary turned around, making sure the two teenagers were accounted for. Blake was fine, but Cambry was clutching her shoulder, clearly in pain.

"Hand me your stele." She instructed the girl, who pressed the cold Adamas into her hand. It had been so long, but just holding the instrument in her hand sharpened her mind. It was comforting. After pressing a particularly powerful Iratze on to her shoulder, Clary drew the rune onto the ground. The girls watched in awe as a swirling blue Portal materialized in front of them.

"Well," Clary said with a grin. "Are you coming?"

* * *

Jace had his head on his desk, most likely crushing the papers he had been reading.

They made no sense anyways. He figured it had been the Fey behind the murders, but now he wasn't so sure.

Something clanged on the window behind him, breaking through the glass. It was an acorn with a piece of paper shoved inside. Avoiding the shattered window, he moved to pick up the note.

_Dear Mr. Herondale, _

_Your presence is requested in the Court of Seelie tonight. Our lovely queen wishes to discuss certain matters with you and Clarissa Fairchild. _

Great. Just what he needed right now.

Absent mindedly, he wonder what the Seelie Queen could want from him, aside from his stunning good-looks and charm and why should would send someone to ruin his window.

There was a crash outside the door, followed by panicked whispers.

Jace moved closer, listening in.

"You're the rune girl, right? Can't you just heal her with some ultra powerful Iratze?" He heard Blake ask, desperation in her tone. Someone else sighed.

"I wish I could, but a goblin's claws contain old magic. She could be poisoned."

Jace pushed the door open as Cambry moaned in pain. Clary looked up at him, green eyes full of worry.

"Can you call the Silent Brothers? We were attacked, and I can't fix it." She pleaded with him. Jace fought the urge to snap at her, but it would get him nowhere. He nodded his head, once, and ducked back inside.

* * *

With the two teenaged girls safely in their rooms with the Silent Brothers, Clary could finally relax. It was only her second day in New York and she had already been pulled back into the Shadowhunting life style.

It felt like decades since she had drawn a rune or welded a Seraph blade, but everything came back to her so naturally.

Someone approached the couch she had been reclining on. Clary looked up.

Jace stood before her, expression unreadable, holding out a cup of something warm. It smelled like one of the tisanes Hodge made for her when she first arrived at the Institute.

"Thank you." She said graciously. Jace didn't respond. Instead, he sat down next to her, thankfully keeping his distance.

They sat there, silently, for what felt like an eternity before Jace finally cleared his throat.

"The Seelie Queen has requested our presence this evening. It would be unwise to decline." He stated formally. Clary froze, remembering her last visit to the Faerie Realms.

"Did she say what she wanted?" She asked carefully. Jace shook his head, indicating that she did not. They both sighed.

The sun was almost fully below the horizon, revealing the bright, full moon.

Jace stood up, straightening his jacket. "Well, I have to go and if you will be joining me, we have to leave now."

Clary deliberated for a few moments. Andrew and Ceilea were safely tucked in at her mother's house, and there was no harm in seeing what the Queen wanted.

"Let's go, then."

**They can tolerate each other now! Hooray! Sorry if this sucks, but I'm bad at relationships so I really don't get theirs even though I'm writing it... Anyways, the next update will come when I reach a certain, undisclosed number of reviews ;) So... review away! P.S, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE NICENESS IN YOUR REVIEWS! I recently cleaned up my inbox so I haven't been getting the Fanfiction emails and I was convinced everyone hated it! **

**Also, I'm supposed to be studying for my one millionth drivers test but like, writing is more important, am I right?**

**Fun fact: The highway is the safest form of motorized transportation, hydroplaning occurs at 35 mph, and you must stop 150 feet before an intersection.**

**xoxo, A.**


	8. The Truth Comes Out

**A/N: I just finished watching "The Quarterback" episode of Glee, something I've been avoiding for over a year, and I was sobbing. It was so sad. Do I have any Gleeks here? If so, how hard did you ship finchel on a scale from one to ten? I have to say I did a solid 11. Totally, off topic, I know, but I have a lot of obsessions. Also, a little update: I feel like you guys don't like this story anymore? Please give feedback and such because it means a lot. Insert regular disclaimer here.. P.S. I was going to wait until Sunday night to post this, but it's Valentines day so **

**Anyways, enjoy! **

"No, mom. I'm fine. I just have some errands to run that might take awhile. I promise nothing's wrong. Mhm. Yes. Could you please watch them tonight? No- Mom! I told you, I'm fine. I'll see you in the morning." Clary snapped her cell phone shut, rolling her eyes.

"Bad mood?" Jace asked with a small smirk. It was the closest thing to a smile he could conjure up these days.

Clary sighed heavily. "When is Jocelyn not in a bad mood?"

The smirked turned more in to an unwilling grin. He bit his lip, shoving his amusement down.

They were standing in front of the pond in Central Park. The moon reflected off the water, almost at it's highest point. Jace had put on his gear jacket and jeans, knowing he wouldn't have a very pleasant swim in khaki pants. Clary had her hair in a braid. It reminded him of the old days. She pointed towards the sky, a question in her eyes.

"On the count of three, we'll jump." Jace said slowly, noticing the fearful expression on her face. Clary bit her lip.

"Can't we just Portal in?" She asked. Jace laughed without humor.

"I doubt they'd appreciate that."

"Fine." She remitted. Jace took her hand unconsciously. Clary gave him a look, but didn't pull it away. She must've been too frightened to care.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

They hit the water just as the moon reached its peak, and the whirlpool entrapped them.

* * *

The ground was ice cold, causing Clary to shiver insensibly while she coughed up the water, burning her lungs. A few feet away, Jace was already starting to get to his feet. She scampered to hers, determine to keep up.

If the Faeries sensed any weakness, they'd target her.

The curtains, once made of live butterflies strung together, was now composed of simpler roses and thorns.

"Why do they always have to make it out of something unpleasant?" Clary muttered, avoiding getting stabbed.

"It serves as a constant reminded that beauty is both a blessing and a curse." Said a high, pleasant voice. They both turned, gazing at the Seelie Queen herself, lounging on a bed placed in the center of the cavern.

Clary inclined her head respectfully, knowing how the Queen reacted to rudeness, while Jace just glared icily at her.

"My, my, Jonathan Herondale. Where's that charming young man I last spoke with?" She said with a cool, knowing smirk. Jace met her gaze.

"He grew up."

The Seelie Queen cocked an eyebrow, pupiless blue eyes training on to Clary.

"Ah, Clarissa. Home at last, I see. Georgia is a very nice place, but I do believe you have unfinished business in the city."

Clary turned away, wishing she'd just get to the point.

The queen snapped her fingers, and one of her handmaidens stepped forwards, holding out a silken robe the same color as her bright red hair. Slipping it on, she rose to meet her courtiers.

"I called you two here for one reason only, to clear the air. It is not I, nor any of _my_ followers that have ordered the attacks on your Nephillim. We have not broken our agreement."

Jace narrowed his eyes, not believing her. Clary wished to remind him that Faeries couldn't lie, but she doubted it would help.

"You doubt me. I have something you want, Jace Herondale. Something that would help you strengthen your power within the Clave." His golden eyes seemed to glow a little brighter. Clary fought down the urge to vomit. Power, the only thing men ever wanted, it seemed.

"What is it?" He asked skeptically, pushing down his wanting.

"The truth. You just need to do one very simple thing for me."

The two young Shadowhunters stared at her, not comprehending what task she could possibly want from them.

"I was quite amused during you last visit. The pleasant one, that is. I would very much like to repeat a bit of history before sharing my information."

Jace was staring down the Seelie Queen as realization seeped into Clary.

_They'll give you what you desire most in the world, but with a sting so hard you wish you never wanted it in the first place. _Jace's words seemed to resonate in her mind. She remembered that the Seelie Queen found human emotions ridiculous, and loved to toy with them.

"You don't have to do this. I can figure things out on my own." Jace said in a measured tone, eyes looking anywhere but her. Clary bit her lip. The Clave needed to know who was responsible for all the murders that had been happening, and the Seelie Court may be their only chance at finding answered.

"No. It's okay." She stated, turning to him. She tilted her chin up, trying to maintain a sense of dignity. "You can close your eyes and think of England, if you'd like." Clary said with a smirk.

He looked a little taken aback, but the corners of his mouth slanted upwards into a grin.

They both stepped closer, an undeniable magnetism drawing them together.

Jace hesitantly slid his arms around her waist, and Clary twined her fingers in his hair. They stood there, awkwardly. He wasn't going to make the first move.

Standing on her tip toes, Clary meant just to give him a quick peck on the mouth, but it instantaneously shifted into something more.

His mouth came down on hers, hard, and Clary lost her ability to think. It had been so long since she kissed anyone or had this much passion contained in her small figure.

Suddenly, none of it mattered. None of their mistakes or fights or the last seven years mattered. She still loved him, she was just hurt.

His hands shifted so they traveled up her body, tangling in her hair.

Unable to breathe, Clary broke off, gasping for air. She felt light-headed, and confused. What had she just done?

Jace's face was unreadable, if not slightly awed. Awed because she didn't instantly push him away, or because of something else?

They both turned to the Seelie Queen, expectant looks plastered on their faces.

"Are you pleased, my lady?" Clary asked, biting sarcasm in her tone.

The Queen's lovely face twisted into an inhuman smile, amusement flashing in her pitiless eyes.

"I liked it better when you two believed you were siblings."

* * *

The Portal deposited them in front of the Institute's gates, silence settling over them. Jace had no idea what to think of what happened in the Court, but he wished to find out. She kissed him back, making it seem like she still loved him, but it could have been a charade for the sake of information.

"Do you believe her?" Clary asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Jace considered it for a moment. Faeries couldn't lie, but they could spin their words or withhold pertinent information.

"It doesn't make sense." His eyebrows drew together, highlighting the throbbing pain in his forehead.

"Hey, we don't have to talk about this now. We'll call Alec and Magnus in the morning. They might have some insight." Clary told him, patting his arm. Concern was peeking out of her green eyes, but his judgment was clouded.

Jace slowly nodded his head. "That sounds like a good plan."

They said nothing for a few moments. It was late, and the walk back to Brooklyn would be long, and possibly unsafe.

"You could stay here tonight, if you'd like. There are some papers I'd like your input on before I send them off to the Clave. You've always seen things that no one else had." He trained his golden eyes on her, willing her to see past his formalities. She turned away, biting her lip, but knew she was considering it.

"I guess that would be alright. As long as Isabelle doesn't cook for us in the morning." Clary said, face slowly transforming into a grin. It's been a long time since Jace had seen that smile. It almost physically pained him.

They made their way into the Institute, up to the residential area before Clary stopped, looking down at her still wet clothes.

"I may have to wake up Isabelle to borrow something." She said sheepishly, looking around. Jace examined his boots.

"Don't be ridiculous. You wouldn't survive it. Just borrow one of my shirts." The words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them. They were almost to his door, twisting through the winding residential wing.

"I really don't want to impose." She responded half-heartedly, inspiring Jace to push further.

"No, I insist. Besides, you used to do it all the time." He threw in a wink for good measure. What had come over him? He was acting like a foolish, love struck teenager. He really should have been showing a little more dignity.

They entered his room, white and pristine. Clary was gazing around, eyes not missing a single detail. Jace rummaged through a drawer, successfully pulling out a faded blue shirt with long sleeves. He tossed it to her, knowing that if she held it up, it would lie like a dress on her small figure.

"Thanks." She said, glancing around awkwardly. They stood there in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to say. They had been in love, once, but from the way things were looking now, they would never be again.

"I'll be right back." Jace said, ducking out of the room. It must have been three in the morning, and Clary was exhausted. She sat down on the bed, forgetting how comfortable the Institutes mattresses were.

The minutes seemed to pass quickly, and she slowly felt her eyelids flutter shut, sinking down on the pillows.

* * *

He gazed at her, fast asleep on his bed, having no idea what to do. Years ago, he would've just climbed in, pulling the comforters up and falling asleep, but that would have been wildly inappropriate now.

Going against his better judgment, which he was too tired to listen to, he did as he once would.

"You know Clary," He whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him.

"I still love you. I don't think I could ever stop loving you. I put up all these fronts, I boss around those poor kids and treat them awfully, and I push my family away, but there's a reason. I can't let anyone get to close. They might leave, just like you did." His eyelids drooped, and he knew he had nothing else to say.

* * *

"_They might leave, just like you did." _

Clary felt her heart contract. She had no idea what to feel, things were already complicated enough, being back in New York. Did she love her old life, or did she love him? Or was it the life she could have had if she stayed?

* * *

Mr. Herondale was always up before the crack of dawn, so when Blake entered the library the next morning, she was confused to find Zach standing at his desk, rummaging through the papers. She cleared her throat, and he stepped back, shame filling his cheeks.

"Don't tell him, please. I- I was just looking for the reports I gave him a couple of days ago. The two girls we found? Yeah, they're not actually dead." He flushed scarlet, all the way to his dark hair.

"How could they not be dead? We literally found them submerged in the Hudson, bloodless!" Blake shouted, tired of Zach's games. He was always trying to imitate the old Jace Herondale; the one they all had heard stories about. He had been quite the wild teenager, according to his siblings. Blake eyed the place where the floorboards had once been destroyed via large cannon crashing through them, all due to Mr. Herondale.

Zach simply shrugged, looking frazzled and helpless. Blake sighed.

"I'll take care of this." She grumbled, setting off to find their advisor.

So, here she stood, in front of his door, unsure of whether or not to knock. Surely if he felt like speaking, he would've gotten up by now?

Giving in, Blake pounded her fist on the door.

"Mr. Herondale?" She called, keeping the nerves out of her voice. The man could sense fear.

The door opened hesitantly, a pair of green eyes meeting her own sapphire ones.

"Clary?" Blake almost shouted, jaw dropped. She woman was wearing nothing but a long, navy blue shirt with fraying cuffs. She bit her lip and retreated as Mr. Herondale came to the door. He was, thankfully, fully dressed. In pajamas, nonetheless, but still wearing clothing.

"What is it?" He asked softly, glancing behind him. Blake was taken aback. She had just woken him up and interrupted an intimate moment, and he had not snapped? She was sure he had fallen ill.

"Uhm, well…" Blake spluttered, not knowing where to start. Mr. Herondale raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"Zachary, er, Mr. Gladstone, claims that the two Shadowhunter girls we found in the river are not actually dead. He thinks the same of the other unexplainable deaths."

Blake had expected him to look furious, for he already filed the reports to the Clave, and this would make the entire Conclave look foolish, but instead he nodded like this somehow made sense.

"Gather the Conclave, tell them there will be a meeting in the library at noon. There is information I must share with the others." He shut the door, leaving Blake standing in the hallway, flabbergasted. She could hear voices from the other side.

"She was right, wasn't she?" Clary had asked him, voice muffled by the door, but still audible. She didn't hear Mr. Herondale respond.

"I feel like an idiot." He muttered. Had he just admitted he was wrong? This was too good. She set off to find Cambry, hoping her recent tale would lift her morale.

It had certainly lifted hers.

**Sorry, but I was Clace asf so I had to ditch my plan to play out their rivalry/hatred/whatever that was and sneak a little something in there. Or maybe I was finchel asf and too sad to write mean relationship anti-fluff. Thank you for all of you support!**

**Life Update: I'M BUYING MY FIRST CAR! But like, cars are so expensive! It'll probably be four more months until I can work enough hours to buy the one I want so yeah. Life sucks and then you die, but at least I like my job.**

**xoxo, A**


	9. King of Anything

**A/N: So after my escapades and failures in car shopping, I decided I'm going to get a powder blue Volkswagen Beetle convertable so I can drive around with the Audrey Hepburn head scarf watching people punch each other. It's a life goal. Also, I'm looking for a proofreader of sorts. Like, I'll send you my stories to be read and critiqued before I post them. There's some requirements... You have to be a writer, you have to be brutally honest, and you have to like mint oreos. Private Message me if you're interested, along with links to your favorite fics that I can read since I don't have a life. Well, I do, but I'd rather read than socialize. Sorry for such a long author's note! I should just start a blog. (Insert Disclaimer here) Enjoy!**

Perched behind a bookshelf on the second floor, Blake and Cambry sat above the New York Conclave, listening in with amplification runes. Cambry's shoulder still hurt more than it should have, but she let it go. This was too important.

Mr. Herondale, the one who called this meeting, still wasn't here, and neither was Clarissa Fairchild. Cambry wondered what they were doing.

The Lightwood siblings, along with their respective spouses, or spouses to be, sat next to the head of the table, looking concerned. Mr. Herondale hadn't called a meeting like this in years.

"I still don't get why we can't attend." Muttered Blake, examining her gold painted fingernails. She was a demon hunter, but still managed to maintain a perfect manicure.

"We're not old enough, so they don't care about our opinions." Cambry sighed, rolling her eyes. If only they'd let her attend, then she could finally prove that she was smarter than all of them.

The doors finally opened, and Mr. Herondale stepped inside, Clary in tow. They both looked a little shell-shocked and disgruntled. There was definitely something going on there.

"I'm sorry for my poor punctuality, but I'm very glad you all chose to attend today's meeting. We have some matters to discuss." He said confidently, taking his place at the head of the table. Clary sat at the other end, dutifully ignoring him.

He clears his throat.

"Last night, I received a notice from the Seelie Queen requesting my presence in her Court. She had information on the whereabouts on the previously thought dead Shadowhunters. She requested a peace treaty, which I will bring up with Consul Penhallow, should her information prove to be correct." He paused; meeting the eyes of several concerned and now confused Conclave members.

"I know this might seem shocking, given the relative peace we have had within our ranks, but The Queen insists the one behind the disappearances is a Shadowhunter, one of our own, and they are being assisted by the Unseelie Court in hiding them."

* * *

After all the yelling had subsided and the Conclave had filed out of the library, Clary avoided every attempt at eye contact Jace was making with her.

Instead, she easily chatted with Isabelle, even promising to let her take her shopping. She shuddered at the thought.

Simon, however, saved the day and made early dinner plans with them, only allotting Isabelle a few hours of clothing induced torture.

Clary strolled besides Isabelle, hearing the words Jace had said to her before the meeting resonating in her mind.

Isabelle snapped her fingers in front of Clary's face, looking annoyed.

"Hello? Clary? You haven't bought anything." Isabelle said, struggling with the weight of her bags.

"I don't need anything." Clary responded, gazing around at the strangely empty streets of Manhattan.

"I beg to differ." Isabelle retorted, giving Clary's outfit a once over. "How about I pick some things out for you, so you don't have to do any of the work!"

Clary sighed, but gave in. It wasn't worth fighting her on. She was already too emotionally drained.

* * *

"I just don't understand. Every Shadowhunter lost someone in the Mortal or Dark wars. No one in the Clave would want to brew up trouble again, especially not now that our ranks have been filled again." Alec said, squinting his blue eyes. His cropped blue hair shimmered slightly, most likely having something to do with Magnus's smug look.

"Do have any hints into who this person is?" Magnus inquired, attempting to run a hand through his heavily gelled spikes. He eventually gave up, distastefully glaring at his now sticky, sparkly fingers.

Jace nodded his head, although he truly had no clue. He was lost.

"Well, they must be a seriously disturbed individual, that's for sure." Alec muttered. Even after they had all witnessed the Endarkened, it was hard to believe that a Shadowhunter could ever murder another Shadowhunter, even if they were not in it alone.

"Well if said disturbed individual is working with the Unseelie faeries, then wouldn't they be hiding in Fey lands?" Simon piped up. Jace turned on him, preparing a sarcastic comment, but he realized the former mundane had a point.

Before he could respond, Isabelle rushed into the room, panting.

"Magnus, you need to throw a party tonight!" She shrieked, not allowing anyone a chance to question what was going on. Magnus scratched his head.

"My dear, I will always want to throw a party, but may I ask the occasion?" He asked, perplexed, Isabelle rolled her eyes, cocking a hand on her hip.

"I was trying on this dress when I realized something! There are plenty of nixes and pixies that attend your parties who may know something that we couldn't get to otherwise. Isn't it worth a shot?" The men in the room all groaned, but knew it was a half decent idea.

Isabelle smirked, radiating smugness and feminine superiority. She glanced up at the clock on the wall.

"Well, it's 4pm now, so Clary and I will meet you downstairs at 8?" She asked, but not really. Before exiting, she gave Magnus a winning smile.

"I expect nothing but the best!"

They all turned to Simon.

"How can you live with such a high-matinance fiancée?" Jace asked, the rest rendered speechless.

"I have no idea, man."

* * *

A few minutes later, all the men have filled out of the library, leaving Jace alone to his thoughts.

The view was picturesque, but he could never admire it properly. Not when there were a million words, ideas, and images rushing around in his over stimulated brain.

The door opens behind him, and the light, not male footsteps behind him cause Jace to slowly turn around.

Clary stands there, hands in the back pocket of her maroon jeans. He would never understand mundane fashion, but he knew Clary dressed a lot better than she used to. Not that he cared, of course.

"Hey." Jace says, avoiding eye contact, turning back to the window. He couldn't look at her. It still hurt too much.

"Um, hey. I, uh- I was wondering if you'd like to come to Jocelyn's with me to talk to Andrew and Ceilea. I know the last time didn't go very well, but if you want to be in their lives, then you should be." Clary blushed, looking unsure of herself for the first time in the four days she'd been in New York.

Jace was so shocked he could barely choke out a meager, "okay."

Half an hour later, Jace found himself standing in front of an old brownstone walk-up, complete with cheery climbing roses, holding Chinese takeout boxes.

"Cely and Drew love fried rice. It'll get you in their good graces." Clary had insisted, discreetly Portalling them to a carryout place.

Clary was radiating a nervous energy, bouncing up and down in her brown boots. He didn't know if it was from Jocelyn's impending rage, or reuniting Jace with his children that was freaking her out so much.

A small, red-headed Shadowhunter opened the door, presumably Clary's very younger sister, Felicity. She smiled brightly at Clary, but then gaped at Jace.

"You're the scary man that runs the city!" She accused, pointing her small index finger at Jace.

"No, I'm pretty sure the current Mayor is Bill de Blasio, but maybe I should run?" He turned to Clary, who was glaring at him. "Should I run for office, Clary?" She rolled her eyes and scooted past Felicity.

The little girl reluctantly let him in, but most likely because she wanted fried rice as well.

"Where's Jocelyn?" Jace asked as calmly as he could, which wasn't very, knowing the ferocious mama bear was around here somewhere.

"Mommy!" A small voice squealed. It was Ceilea, blonde ponytail bouncing as she ran into Clary's open arms. It was such a loving scene; it made Jace want to throw up.

Andrew tumbled into the room after that, blinking sleep out of his golden eyes, looking dazed. He noted Jace's presence, but didn't seem to care much.

"Hey, buddy." Jace said, crouching down, forcing a small smile. His son gazed back at him before tentatively waving a hello.

"Be nice, Cely. He's a good man, and you need to behave." Clary was softly scolding her daughter, who just rolled her green eyes.

"That's not what Grandma and Grandpa say." The little girl scoffed, shooting a nasty glare at Jace. He idly wondered if she would have been any different if he brought her up. Probably not.

Jace opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by an angry Jocelyn and Luke, welding hairbrushes.

"Mother." Clary said, not meeting her eyes.

"Are you going to beat me with a hairbrush?" Jace inquired. All eyes went to him, Jocelyn's more angry than most.

She turned her sharp gaze on to her daughter.

"You deposited your children here, not that I minded since they get along so well with Fleece, to gallivant around the city with your ex-boyfriend?" Jocelyn growled, showcasing her "scary-calm" abilities nicely.

"We were not gallivanting anywhere, mother!" Clary exclaimed, looking mortified.

"We were being Shadowhunters, doing Shadowhunter things." Jace decided to add, realizing too late that it wasn't very helpful.

"You shouldn't be anywhere near Clary, or your children!" Jocelyn yelled at Jace, earning a warning look from Luke. He was always the mediator

"Well, the keyword there would be 'my' children-" Jace began, but Clary cut him off.

"Anyways, mother, I have more business to attend to this evening that isn't suitable for Andrew or Ceilea to be around, so we brought by dinner. Can they please stay with you another night? I put more than enough supplies in their suitcases."

"Of course, Clary." Luke said, gazing warmly down at his stepdaughter's kids, who were currently digging in to their food.

Jocelyn, however, wasn't so warm and cozy.

"What do you intend to do together tonight?" She snapped, glaring at Jace like he was the spawn of Satan.

"We have some errands to run for the Clave. I'll be back tomorrow morning for Cely and Drew. We're going to take them out to breakfast."

"We are?" Jace asked, not helping the situation. Clary groaned.

Jace felt himself grin for the first time in years.

* * *

They Portalled back to the Institute half past six and Clary knew Isabelle would be furious with her.

"Clary Fairchild, what in the name of the Angel is wrong with you?" Isabelle yelled, angrily recurling Clary's hair. She had already laid out their outfits for the party beforehand, saving a lot of time.

"I'm sorry, but I thought you wanted me to spend time with Jace?" Clary asked, confused. She had gotten back to the Institute and was descended upon by an angry Isabelle, wielding eyelash curlers and mascara wands.

"I do, but that's not the point! You only gave me an hour and a half to get you ready!" She whined. Classic Izzy.

In the end, Clary found herself in a black lace dress with a scarlet slip underneath, of course, and high heeled boots.

She looked badass, but she couldn't believe Isabelle would pick this outfit for her.

After various pots of eye shadow and tubes of lipstick, Isabelle finally deemed Clary presentable enough for the High Warlock's party. They armed themselves with weapons concealed to look like accessories and Clary even wore a thigh sheath.

"Alright. Now, let's go kick some ass!"

* * *

**Happy President's Day! Yay for ****unnecessary but very appreciated days off from school! Shout out to the crappy American school system! But seriously, who actually celebrates this? My friend is throwing a pool party in the middle of february for President's day. Granted, I live on the west coast so it'll be above 80 degrees, but still. P.s., how was everyone's valentine's day/weekend? In the last three days, I've eaten around 6 boxes of chocolate because boys suck and candy is better. God bless running or I wouldn't be able to eat like I do. P.S.S, I'm writing a Wessa fanfic called Time After Time and I'm really excited about it so you should go read it! Also, it's practically midnight so I'm going to post this chapter now since hopefully you guys aren't insomniacs like me and wont see it til monday morning.**

**xoxo, A**


	10. The Unbecoming of Emma Carstairs

**Well, after getting 15 of the sweetest reviews ever, I decided to continue this story. This is probably a crappy filler chapter, but I had writer's block and the plot wasn't really going the way I wanted it to until the end. I needed a way to tie everything back in, so here's chapter nine. Please review because your commentary means a lot to me. Also, a big shout out to the 15 people who brought this story back in a way. You're messages meant a lot to me and made my day.**

Jace hated himself.

Well, not himself in general, but the fact that his ex girlfriend was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen in his entire life, and he just stood there off to the side, drooling like an idiot while she danced with another man.

Granted, said man was engaged to his sister, and her best friend, but it was still salt in an open wound.

Running a hand through his blonde curls, Jace decided to stop throwing himself the lamest pity party ever. He turned to the bartender, a pretty werewolf girl, and asked which drinks were safe. She shrugged.

"Will any of them turn me into a rat? I've heard they can do that." Jace deadpanned, watching the girl's face crumble with confusion.

"Uh, no I don't think so. They can, however, promise you an interesting night." She said with a wink, pushing two silvery glasses towards him.

"As long as I don't spend it as a rat." She rolled her eyes at that.

It didn't take much to get Simon away from Clary, just a few sputters of madness, claiming Isabelle had caught a Faerie witness and needed help interrogating him. Like Isabelle Lightwood ever needed help.

Jace handed Clary one of the drinks, which she gladly accepted. Her dark red curls were floating wildly around her face and her eye makeup was smudged, but he thought she had never looked better. After discarding their now empty glasses, Clary pulled him onto the dance floor. All the fey there seemed to be of the Seelie Court, so there was really no one to question. Why not have a good time?

"You know what this reminds me off?" Clary shouted over the music, wrapping her arms around Jace's neck. He stilled for a moment, but resumed dancing. He put his hands on her waist and she didn't brush them off.

Jace smirked. "That time in Prague?" He asked, and she nodded, giggling. That was odd.

Clary doesn't giggle. Or come to think of it, that night it Prague didn't have a happy connotation, but he couldn't remember why.

"If you really want to repeat the events of the past…" He trailed off, raising an eyebrow. Clary bit her lip and pulled him towards one of Magnus's spare rooms.

* * *

The insistent ringing of Clary's phone made them both groan inwardly. His lips were so sweet on hers, tasting solely of Jace, and alcohol.

She moved to answer her phone, but his lips lingered on her neck and arms were wrapped around her waist.

"Hello?" She giggled, her head floating in the clouds. Everything felt so light, so happy.

"Clary? You need to get here now. Something happened to Ceilea. You may need to bring Magnus." Clary snapped out of her drunken stupor, yanking away from Jace.

She sprinted out of the bedroom, in search of the High Warlock. Pushing her way through the sweaty mass of bodies, she located Magnus, sitting off to the side with a resigned looking Alec. The logical part of Clary knew she was interrupting something, but her daughter was hurt. She was so stupid. Who abandoned their children for days at the house of the grandparents they never met?

Clary did, and now it was coming back to haunt her.

"Magnus! We need to go! Now!" Clary spluttered, not caring how flustered she must've seemed.

Alec and Magnus snapped their heads up, breaking out of their intimate moment. Clary sighed. She was such an awful person.

"What is it now, dear Clarissa?" Magnus inquired, brushing his fingers through his permanently glittered black hair. His cat eyes showed traces of annoyance, but Clary brushed it off.

"Jocelyn called. Something happened to the twins. We need your help."

* * *

Clary's hastily drawn Portal rune seemed to make the ride more tumultuous than normal, or maybe it was just her high riding emotions.

They were spat out in the front lawn of her mother's walk-up. Blood coated the front steps. Clary held back a sob. _What had happened here?_

She ran into the house, scrawling opening Runes as she went until she came across Andrew, tears staining his cheeks. Clary knelt in front of her son, carefully thumbing the tears away.

She took his small hands in hers. "Baby, what happened?"

Andrew quickly dried his tears, his golden-green eyes meeting Clary's darker ones.

"They came out of nowhere, mommy. The-The thing bit Cely. It called us all weird names and Cely is really hurt, mommy." He started crying all over again as Jocelyn came out of the spare bedroom. She spotted Magnus, yanking his arm back into the bedroom with her. Clary let out a small sigh of relief. Magnus would save her daughter. A question lingered in the back of her mind, though. Clary turned back to her son.

"Drew, what did the thing say to you?" The little boy's eyes filled with fear, and he took a shaky breath.

"It called me and Cely Nephilim and it wanted to take us. Grandpa Luke made it go away somehow, but Fleecy was screaming that it bit Cely. I told Grandma she needed a band-aid, but she said she didn't. But she was bleeding a lot, so she needs a band aid, right mommy?" A cold feeling settled over Clary. She had tried so hard to keep her children safe. They weren't Shadowhunters, just mundane children. They deserved a normal life.

Unfortunately, you can't escape your own blood, or your past.

* * *

The next morning, Clary tried to push away the events of the previous night away in vain. Ceilea was alright, tucked into a stool next to her brother as Clary flipped pancakes in a caste iron pan. They were in the hallowed ground of the Institute now. Nothing could hurt them, right?

"Momma, I think you're burning that pancake." Ceilea deadpanned, gazing intently at the smoke rising out of the pan Clary had abandoned in favor of her reverie.

She silently cursed, tossing the blackened batter into the trash. Her cooking skills were the equivalent of Isabelle's when she was upset.

"That's not very nice, Clare-bear!" Simpered Isabelle, striding into the room, Simon on her tail. It was nice to see them so happy. From what she had heard, they had gone through some rough times while Simon was at the Academy, struggling to Ascend and regain his memories.

Clary shot her best girl friend a winning smile. She knew she couldn't cook, but still chose to be offended anyways.

"Only for you, Izzy. Are you guys hungry?" Clary asked them, taking another pancake out at its proper time. She had learned her lesson.

"Oh yes." Isabelle smirked. "We worked up quite the appetite last night."

Simon choked on his orange juice while the twins just exchanged confused glances.

Clary glared at Isabelle, who simply smirked and shrugged.

"Oh, Clary. Don't be so adolescent. Anyways, we came in here to formally invite you to our wedding!" Isabelle exclaimed.

Clary swiftly turned off the stove before turning to face her two best friends.

"Are you guys serious?" She asked, excitement building up inside her.

Simon nodded, smiling shyly, while Isabelle crossed to room to embrace Clary.

"Yes! And, you're going to be my maid of honor! Shadowhunter's don't really do that, but Simon was a mundane once so I figured why not." Clary felt her eyes fill with tears despite herself.

"That means so much Izzy. Thank you." The two girls smiled warmly at each other.

"So, when's the big day?" A new, deeper voice asked. Clary's head snapped up, and promptly went back down. Jace had entered the kitchen, clad in his usual 'I'm head of the Institute and better than you' attire.

The twin's eyes seemed to watch every move their estranged father made, which he took no notice of. It made Clary want to hit him.

Simon refused to take his eyes off of Clary, so Isabelle wearily responded with "Valentine's Day."

Clary and Jace both snorted, hearing the name of the holiday. Jace tried to meet her eyes, but she dutifully ignored him.

"Oh, shut up you two. It's romantic." Isabelle scoffed.

Clary opened her mouth to respond when Zachary rushed into the kitchen. He wore a panicked look on his face and kept glancing behind him. She felt her chest tighten and eyes drift over to the twins.

"Mr. Herondale! There's- There's someone here to see you. I told her she would have to wait but she pulled a knife on me and-" A whip swiftly wrapped around the boys wrist and he was yanked back into the hallway.

A tall blonde women with coffee brown eyes entered afterwards, clad in tight black gear and tears streaming down her face. Her eyes darted around the room before they landed on Clary's.

"Please, you have to help me." She choked out, followed by more tears. Something tingled in the back of her mind, an image of a twelve year old girl and her future Parabatai leaving Idris after the Dark War.

"_Emma Carstairs?"_

* * *

"Okay, okay. Please, just help me understand." Clary pleaded with the nineteen year old.

There were now sitting in the Institute's library, holding cups of hot chocolate. Clary thought back to her last conversation with the Carstairs girl. It was just a few days after Simon had left New York for the Academy, and the same day Jace and Alec had dragged a trebuchet into the training room. Clary bit back a smile, despite herself.

"Of course, I heard the rumors, but are you sure it's his?" Clary asked slowly, unconsciencly gazing down to Emma's midriff.

"It had been a year since I saw him, and we were both there in Idris at the same time last month for the annual meeting… It just happened, I guess." She shrugged helplessly.

"The Clave is going to crucify me, Clary. I'll be stripped of Runes, disgraced! This is what I love, but I need this baby. It's the only thing I have left of him."

Clary knew exactly what she was feeling.

"Does he know?" She inquired, hoping Emma wasn't in the same situation Clary had been in seven years ago.

"No. But if he did, I know he'd want to raise it with me."

Jealously flared up in Clary's chest, but she pushed it down. The poor girl was in love and suffering because of it. There was truly nothing worse than that.

Clary opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the twins rushing into the room. Andrew was pulling on Ceilea's hair, who was desperately trying to get away.

"Drew! Let go of your sister's hair!" Clary exclaimed, glaring down at her children. Ceilea smirked, sticking her tongue out at Andrew, whose emerald eyes were filled with shame.

"What happened?" Clary asked them, constantly caught up in her twin's dramas.

"We were in Auntie Isabelle's room, she told us to call her that, and Ceilea put lipstick on me! Lipstick! That's not very nice." Andrew exclaimed, looking mortified that he had makeup on. Ceilea looked quite smug, causing Clary to chuckle.

"I know a very respectable man that wears a lot more makeup than just lipstick, Drew." She said, ruffling his little blonde head. She turned to Ceilea.

"Cely, you know your brother is very sensitive so could you please ease up on the torments a little bit?" The little girl huffed indignantly before grabbing her brother's hand and dashing away to the upper levels of the library to look at children's books.

Emma made a coughing noise.

"So… You and Herondale got it on, did you?" Emma said, a smirk on her thin lips. She had stop crying, finally.

Clary blushed scarlet, but there was no avoiding the truth. The proof was upstairs, arguing and yelling.

"Yes. I suppose we did." She said unconsciencly gazing down at her ringless finger. Emma's eyes were filled with understanding.

"That's why I couldn't find you for like, the last seven years. I missed you, Clary." They embraced, and Emma prepared to leave. She stopped in front of the Portal Clary drew that would take her back to London.

"Could you do me a favor?" Emma asked wearily.

"Of course."

"If you ever go to Los Angeles, tell Julian I love him."

It was at that moment, watching Emma step through the Portal with a broken heart, that Clary realized how much she truly hated the Clave and everything it stood for.

**Alright, so that's that. **

**A/N: I've been really busy lately and it's only going to be more so from here, especially this week. I have things going on everyday after school that won't get me home until after 5pm so I probably won't update again until next saturday. I might post another chapter tonight but I'm not sure. I have a lot a lot of homework.**

**xoxo, A**


	11. Herondale Family Drama

**Two chapters in one day? Yeah, I did it. This one is actually a quality chapter and I'm pretty proud of it. Also, I'm going to be finishing this fic at around 25 chapters, but there will be a sequel focusing on the lives of the Lightwood, Herondale, and Blackthorn children. Spoiler alert, there will be lots of drama and sass and uhg. I love it already. Also, to clear the air, this is set in January of next year since Ceilea and Andrew were born in 2009 and can't turn 7 unless it's 2016. The sequel will take place in like 2020. I also made a family tree to go along with it. That's how excited I am about this little A/U I sort of created. Anyways, regular disclaimer la di da. I only own the plot and newbie characters. Enjoy!**

"We have to do something!" Clary yelled, not caring that her children were in the room next door.

They were sitting around the dining room table, downward cast eyes gazing at Taki's takeout boxes. Clary had promptly discarded her coconut and macadamia nut pancakes, for she didn't have much of an appetite.

She turned her furious emerald eyes on Jace.

"You! You're the head of the Institute. Can't you do something?" He met her eyes with his melted gold ones, but they didn't have much of an effect on Clary.

"Even if I could, which I can't, we have a much more pressing matter at hand. We have murders to solve, and as far as I can tell, Emma Carstairs and her bastard child are still alive." His words hung in the air, as the prickle of tears stung the corner of Clary's eyes.

Isabelle gasped, and Simon turned his hard, dark eyes on to Jace. Alec just shook his head and pushed his food away.

"What?" Jace asked, looking perplexed, glancing around the table. "It's true. It isn't our problem."

Clary felt sick to her stomach. Isabelle left the room, muttering in Clary's ear, "I'll go take them somewhere else for a while." Simon quickly followed, never letting his fiancée too far out of sight.

With one last glare at Jace, Alec departed as well, probably going over to Magnus's loft.

"You do realized what you just called your own children, right?" Clary asked, putting off an air of 'scary-calm." Maybe if she channeled Jocelyn, she'd have the strength to kick his ass right now.

His face shifted with emotion and his amber eyes widened.

"Clary, no. I didn't mean it like that. We're different. They're different." He said hastily, trying to take back his words. Clary rolled her eyes.

"No, it really isn't, if you think about it. Actually, yes. It is different. Julian actually would've married and raised his family with Emma, instead of ruining it before it could even begin." Clary stood up, never removing her frosty gaze from Jace's crumbling face.

"I really thought you were starting to come around, Jace. But I've always been a horrible judge of character, haven't I?"

* * *

"_By the Angel, Clary! What the hell is wrong with you?" He chased after her, grabbing her wrist. It was pouring rain, and she had just ducked out of the club to hail a taxi. Jace still had her stele, and wanted answers._

"_What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you, Jace?" She screamed at him, struggling to get away. They were both sopping wet now. It was a humid July night, and all the mundanes were gearing up for their Independence Day celebrations. _

_A lone, pathetic flag was put up above a neighboring business and was now dripping wet with the unseasonably cold rain. _

"_I come here with Izzy thinking we're going to take out an Eidolon Demon and bam. I see you with your tongue down some other girl's throat! Jace, I thought you loved me!" Clary shrieked, slapping Jace across the face every time he even took a step closer to her._

"_I was drunk and you've been ignoring me for weeks! I have no idea why!" Jace shouted back, drunken fury rising up within him. They weren't supposed to be like this. They were Jace and Clary. Two seventeen year olds who have been through it all, who could take on the world._

"_Because I had a pregnancy scare, Jace! We got lucky, but it was still hard! And don't but this all one me, you've been distant as well." Her eyes welled up with tears and he wanted nothing more than to embrace her, to reassure her that everything would be okay. _

"_I'm so sorry, Clare. I love you, only you, and I always will. Please, just give me another chance."_

_Her emerald eyes met his golden one, and she gave him a wry smile._

"_Mess up one more time, Herondale, and I'm out the door." She said with a wink, blinking tears out of her eyes. _

"_I promise, I won't hurt you ever again." Jace smiled down at her, love in his eyes._

"_I believe you."_

Jace stared out the window. It had just begun to rain, droplets pounding relentlessly on the long picture windows in his office. How had they ended up like this?

He was true to his word. He still loved Clary, and probably always would. He prayed to Raziel Isabelle would never tell her about the incident. It would only make things even worse.

He couldn't believe what he said about Andrew and Ceilea. Just because they were born out of wedlock didn't mean he didn't love them. They were half of him, and he wanted them to be a family.

Digging through his desk drawer, he located the small velvet box he hadn't touched for over seven years. He needed to do it. He needed to prove to Clary how much he loved her and they deserved a future together after all they had been through, didn't they?

* * *

"Clary, this is insanity!" Isabelle shrieked, watching her best friend hastily pack a bag. Clary mentally ticked off item after item on her packing list. Bathing suit, dresses, shorts, check. Swim shorts, sunglasses, sunscreen, check. Cheerios, special cups, headbands, check. Motherhood had blessed her with the rare ability to multitask.

"Clary! Are you even listening to me?" Isabelle practically shouted, causing the twins to look up from their mess of play-doh on the bedroom floor.

"You can't run off again." Isabelle pleaded, tears already building in her brown eyes. "It would kill him! It would kill me. Especially now that…" Her voice trailed off, peaking Clary's interest.

"Izzy? What's wrong?" Clary asked, concerned coloring her tone.

Isabelle bit her lip, running a hand through her long black hair. "I'm pregnant. That's why the wedding is so soon."

Clary's jaw dropped. Little, nerdy Simon Lewis got the Isabelle Lightwood pregnant.

"Isabelle! That's fantastic! How far along are you?" Isabelle's eyes filled with tears as she embraced her best friend.

"Not even a month. You're the second to know, aside from Simon, of course. So will you be my maid of honor, Clare? You never gave me a straight answer."

"Of course, Isabelle. Anything for my new niece!" Clary was jubilant, buoyant with happiness. All of her friends were starting families, and she already had hers. The only thing that was missing from hers was Jace.

"Anything? Okay, then don't leave." Isabelle snarled, glaring at the bags Clary was still packing.

"Iz, I have to do something for Emma. She's miserable! She loves Julian so much and they deserve to be together, no matter what the Clave says."

"That kind of thinking can get you thrown in the Silent City for the night." Said a deep, rough voice behind him.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "By the Angel, Jace. Don't you know how to knock?"

Clary stiffened, not wanting to have a confrontation in front of their children.

"Who's going to tell? You? I'm sure you'd love me in handcuffs." Clary deadpanned, not even turning to face him. Isabelle choked on her laughter while Jace just muttered, "Kinky."

"Clare, can we talk?" He asked. Clary slowly turned around and noticed how much sadness was contained in his bright gold eyes. She sighed.

"Whatever, Jace. Let's get this over with."

* * *

Jace was pacing, wiping his sweaty palms across his black slacks. His white shirt was untucked and his black blazer was draped across the back of his chair. Clary sat across from his desk, legs crossed lazily, looking bored. Even in day clothes, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He stopped pacing, knowing there was no way he could possible make this a huge spectacle. He had to get it over with.

"Clary," He began, and her intense emerald eyes met his. He gulped. Here goes nothing.

"I love you. I always have loved you, and I want to raise a family with you. I want to get to know Andrew and Ceilea. I want to be there when they get their first Runes. I want to live in the Herondale Manor with you. I want to see Simon walk you down the isle in a gold dress, gazing up at me with love in your eyes instead of discontempt. I want to grow old with you. I want a life with you. I haven't stopped thinking about you for seven years, and it nearly drove me off the deep end. I buried myself in my work, I recklessly slayed demons and got drunk almost every night. What I'm trying to say, Clarissa Fray, is that I love you and I haven't been able to breathe while you lived in Georgia. My life was put on hold, until you came back and brought me back to life."

Clary gaped at him, a mixture of shock, disbelief, and maybe even rage crossed her face before settling on sadness. She began to weep, covering her face with her small, pale hands.

"Clary?" Jace exclaimed, rushing over to her in a panic. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" She was hyperventilating now, sobs wracking her entire body. She reached out for Jace and pulled him closer. He complied, wrapping his arms around her, drawing soothing circles on her back.

"Finally." She gasped, wiping her tears.

"Finally?" Jace inquired, eyebrows scrunching together in perplextion.

"Jace, you goddamn idiot! I love you too. So much that it physically drains me, but I thought you didn't care. I thought you hated me for choosing Ceilea and Andrew over you. I thought I had to move on, but I couldn't. You broke my ability to fall in love, setting my heart to you, and only you." Clary snaked her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. Jace was shell-shocked. He assumed Clary would slap him, or something along those lines.

"You know the Herondales. Famed for our jaw lines and ability to make women weep after our heartfelt speeches."

The slap came promptly afterwards.

* * *

Hand in hand, Clary tugged Jace through the Institute hall up to the training room where Cambry and Blake were teaching Ceilea and Andrew how to throw knifes.

Outside the door, she turned to him, locking their gazes together. She felt warm inside, like the missing piece of her was finally back in it's place.

Yes, Jace was a different, colder man, but inside the walls he put up was still the arrogant, broken boy Clary fell in love with when she was only sixteen.

The Herondale family ring was heavy on her left hand, but it only added to her buoyancy.

"You have to be extra nice to them since you got off on the wrong foot. Don't tease Andrew, he's really shy. Ceilea inherited your attitude and confidence, Raziel help us all, so banter with her a little bit and she's yours. Also, they both really like running so maybe you could take them out to Central Park-" Clary was cut off by his lips crushing down on hers. She opened them willingly, letting the sweet, slow kiss take over her mind. She smiled, pulling away.

"We can continue that later." Jace said with a wink and Clary rolled her eyes.

Inside, Andrew had his head stuck in a comic book. Clary idly realized that it had probably been Max's.

Ceilea, as always the polar opposite of her brother, was ferociously throwing blades at the target boards. She hit the bull's eye every time, causing Jace's eyes to shine with pride.

"That's my girl." He said with a smirk, causing the little Shadowhunter to whirl around with shock. Said shock was also reflected in Cambry's eyes and Blake's seemingly now detached jaw. All eyes were on Jace, who just raised an eyebrow.

"What? I can't be proud of my daughter for being a future killing machine? Jeez. Tough crowd." Clary buried her face in her hands, praying to Raziel and all that is holy that the Herondale sass doesn't get worse with age.

Jace smiled down at Clary radiantly. It was infectious.

Jace tugged his hand away from Clary as he moved to give Ceilea some pointers, which she took grudgingly. Andrew watched the scene with longing, and Clary understood how he felt. Ceilea always got most of the attention, like Isabelle, leaving all others in the room feeling a bit dull and faded.

"It's okay, Drew. You'll get your time with daddy too." Clary murmured, patting his golden curls. A pang of sadness crossed his green eyes, but he stayed silent.

* * *

Later that night, the newly uncovered Herondale family sat in a booth at Taki's, laughing at dad's insane duck stories and mom's encounters with the terrors of shopping on 5th Avenue with Isabelle. Andrew and Ceilea never looked happier, not even when Andrew won a kindergarten painting contest, or when Ceilea ran the mile faster than any other 1st grader. They both had finally gotten what they wished for every night, every dandelion, and every shooting star.

Their family was back together, and nothing could ruin it now.

**Aw, Herondale family cuteness. That's why Ceilea was so cold to Jace. He didn't live up to her fatherly expectations, but now he's starting too. Yay for Clace getting back together, yay for sizzy wedding, yay for possible Malec adoption? What? You'll just have to wait and see!**

**xoxo, A**


	12. The Sizzy Wedding

**Hello, beautiful people! So I ran the color run today and it was fantastic! I've showered like three times and I still have glitter and paint all over my body. 10/10 would not recommend if you're allergic to chalk or glitter or running, but I thought it was a great time. Anyways, I was listening to the "How To Succeed at Business Without Really Trying" soundtrack since that's my school's musical this year and I'm the woodwind player in the show and I got over my writer's block for this story! I just came off of my busiest week ever so now I'll probably have time to sleep again, or write. **

**Anyways pt 2, I don't own any characters except Ceilea and Andrew Herondale, Cambry Townsend, Blake Kingsmill, Kaden and Garrett Blackhurst, and Zachary Gladstone. All rights go to the fab-tastic Cassie Clare! Enjoy!**

"How's our new favorite happy couple?" The man asked, twirling his pen nimbly around his fingers. The pictures of the newly rejoined Herondale family had just arrived on his desk this morning, and they were sickening.

Mr. Herondale was an awful man, one who didn't deserve to be happy. He would pay for his crimes against him. It wasn't money he wanted.

It was revenge; and he knew exactly how to get it.

* * *

Clary cringed at her reflection in the mirror. Her scarlet hair was straight, just past her surprisingly developed chest and her makeup was simple, but the dress her to be sister-in-law had forced her in would have made Raziel himself cringe.

"Izzy, I look like a cupcake. One that you baked." Clary snorted, addressing her figure from all angles of the three paned mirror.

"Oh, shut up Clare. Rose gold is the perfect color for my wedding, and it looks great on you. You won't be able to keep Jace off of you." Isabelle said, smirking to herself.

She knew the two had rekindled their relationship, and Jace was taking to parenthood with strides.

Clary, on the other hand, flushed bright red. She couldn't help but remember last night; doing things with Jace she thought she'd never do ever again.

"Stop it." Clary muttered to herself, not wanting to spoil the moment. The past was in the past. Her children had their father back, and Clary had the man she loved again.

She didn't plan on letting him go ever again.

"Alright, Iz. Now let's see yours." Clary called to the dressing room that the bride had entered.

She stepped back into the section of the store clary sat in, reading a magazine.

She held her long black hair up with her hands and did a mock ballerina twirl, letting the chiffon skirts of her dress swirl around.

"Isabelle Lightwood, you look fantastic!" Clary gushed, allowing herself to be a girly girl for once in her 23 years. It was true, Isabelle looked radiant. The fitted bodice had intricate golden stitching, combining Simon's mundane traditions with Shadowhunter ones. Golden beads trailed their way down the dress, creating bunched designs towards the bottom.

Isabelle was getting Clary's dream wedding with the man she loved, and Clary couldn't help but be a tad envious.

* * *

"Daddy, I'm bored." Ceilea simpered, glaring up at Jace. He had taken the twins to Central Park to play by the pond. Andrew was busy making mud pies near the ducks, nasty creatures glaring at his son. Jace knew he should probably go save him, but it was too risky. Bloodthirsty little demons. Never trust a duck.

Ceilea, on the other hand, was not so easily entertained. She had shifted from activity to activity, her waist-length golden curls tangling in the breeze.

"Where's mommy? She's fun." Ceilea sighed, rolling her eyes. Jace cringed inwardly, but brushed it off. This must be how others felt around his snarky comments and superior wit.

"She's dress shopping with your aunt Isabelle. Maybe we could go to the store and find you something pretty to wear to the wedding as well?" Jace suggested, knowing how much girls loved shopping. Aside from Clary, who was probably having a fit.

Ceilea considered this for a moment, and then shrugged her shoulders.

"I always look pretty, but I suppose that is okay." She smiled sweetly at him, before rushing to pull Andrew out of the pond he had just tumbled into.

Jace sighed. Parenthood was hard.

* * *

"Here, Cely. How about this one?" Clary said calmly, offering a grass green dress to her daughter. It matched both of their eyes perfectly.

Ceilea regarded the new dress, glanced at the ever-growing pile of rejects and smiled for the first time in a while.

"I love it, mommy."

Isabelle watched the moment carefully. It was strange seeing Clary with her children, since before a few weeks ago; Clary had been the rambunctious, slightly insane 17 year old they all knew and loved. Now, she was mature and responsible, actually thinking before she acted.

Jace leaned back in his chair, and easy grin on his face. His golden hair was rumpled and he wore an easy smile on his face. His black blazer was unbuttoned and he stretched out on the floor of the dress shop like a lazy teenager. He hadn't looked that relaxed in seven years.

Everything was falling back in place. Both her brothers were happy, she was marrying the love of her life, and she was the aunt to two beautiful children.

Hopefully she could be half the mother Clary was.

* * *

(One Week time jump)

Valentine's Day had finally arrived, and the Angel Square in Idris was bustling with activities.

Everyone knew Isabelle Lightwood. She was a war hero and the only daughter of the current Inquisitor. Not to mention insanely beautiful.

Simon didn't know how he got so lucky. Sure, things had been rough, especially during his time at the academy, but once he came home and realized he had sent away the only woman for him, he was a goner.

Five years later, he was standing at the alter as the bridal party came down the isle.

Clary and Jace walked together, the maid of honor and the best man, followed by Aline and Helen, and finally Magnus and Alec. All three couples looked jubilant, but Clary and Jace were so much more than that.

When Clary left, Simon felt empty, but it was nothing like Jace, who felt as though half of him was ripped out.

Now, they were all together again and could move forwards with their bright futures.

The little Herondale children came down the isle next, Andrew toting the rings, and Ceilea merrily tossing flowers everywhere as guests fawned over her. Simon bit back a smirk. She was her father's daughter.

The Lightwoods had insisted they hold their wedding and reception in Idris, and Simon wasn't one to disagree. He was taking their last name after all.

The piano music changed in a flourish, and Isabelle began her slow, painfully slow, walk down the isle. His eyes almost popped out of his socket. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Her marks were vibrant against her creamy skin, a rare occurrence since they lived among the mundanes in New York.

Simon couldn't breathe, and not in the cool vampire way.

Every time he even attempted to catch his breath, it was just knocked away again when he saw Isabelle smiling up at him, love in her eyes.

When the moment finally came, he could hardly choke out the words, "I do", earning a deep chuckle from the front row.

Izzy turned to glare at her adoptive brother, whose face was now bright red with Clary's handprint, and just shrugged.

Rolling her eyes, Isabelle turned back to face Simon, grinning ear to ear. They opted to draw the marriage runes later in the evening, for Simon figured the younger children and their parents would not appreciate Simon sliding Isabelle's dress down her back in front of the small crowd gathered.

Hand in hand, they descended down the platform, and into their future together.

* * *

Cambry couldn't down her shots of vodka quick enough.

She hated weddings; some of her worst memories happened at weddings. It was rare for Shadowhunters to get divorced, for they loved deeply once and forever, but Linea Townsend fell in and out of love like a mundane teenager. First there was her father, Edward Townsend, who she divorced to marry Henry Ravenscar, who she then left months later to marry Allan Trueblood.

When she had finally been murdered in the Dark War, her mother had "experimented" and married a woman, Annabelle Shadowridge. She was nice enough, but it was a little odd having a stepmother rather than the string of replacement fathers Linea had brought in over the years. Cambry hadn't heard from her real father since the fire, but she presumed he didn't care enough to claim her. He hadn't been listed in the deaths from either of the Great Wars.

"Cam, don't do this." Her Parabatai's voice warned as she brought the next round of raspberry flavored alcohol to her mouth. Blake's perfectly made up face was one of concern. They were both wearing matching pink bridesmaids dresses with loose chignons. The difference between the pair was that Blake looked stunningly gorgeous, as always. Cambry felt awkward and out of place next to her lithe, naturally beautiful best friend, as always.

Thank the Angel for Idris's low drinking age.

"All I'm saying is that Isabelle Lightwood, er, Lewis, is kind, too kind to have her wedding ruined by one drunk, brunette bombshell who holds a grudge against anyone in love, or happier than her." Blake snapped.

Blake regained her composure just in time for a gorgeous blonde boy with light, almost colorless blue eyes to come over and practically fall at her feet for an opportunity to dance, leaving Cambry alone to her thoughts again.

She leaned against the makeshift counter set up in the middle of Angel's square, just for the Lightwood wedding, holding back a flood of emotions.

"Disgusting, isn't it?" A deep, very male voice said next to her. He was staring at Blake and the Mystery boy on the dance floor with a bitter edge to his light green eyes.

"Yes, well, my best friend is always in popular demand with the men, so you'll have to wait in line." Cambry simpered with false empathy before turning back to her drained glass. She pouted unladylike, for the bartender was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah, I'm afraid you have misunderstood me. I mean my cousin is disgusting, trying to pick up as many women as possible tonight." The man laughed as Cambry studied him. He was gorgeous, with straight, golden blonde hair, styled fashionably with gel and sage green eyes with a smidge of blue. He was tall and muscular, but somehow approachable. Cambry wondered what it would feel like to have his soft looking mouth on hers.

"Shut up." She muttered to herself, feeling stupid. She should know better, especially after her mother's escapades. Never trust a pretty face.

"Pardon?" The man asked, golden eyebrows knit together in confusion. Cambry mentally slapped herself while going scarlet.

"Anyways, I am Garrett Blackhurst, and that's my cousin, Kaden Blackhurst." Garrett said, inclining his hand towards the pair on the dance floor, next to Jace Herondale and Clary Fairchild. It was good to see them together, since life had improved exponentially with the redhead at the helm of the Institute.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Cambry Townsend, and the girl your cousin is trying to take home is my Parabatai Blake Kingsmill." Garrett smirked at her, causing her to go weak in the knees. Or maybe it was the alcohol.

One look at his stupid, beautiful, wonderful smile, and she knew.

It wasn't the Raziel dammed vodka.

* * *

"So, you live in Phoenix?" Blake asked tentatively, wanting to know more about this gorgeous man guiding her around the dance floor. Curious Shadowhunters threw them looks, but Blake shrugged them off. There was nothing going on, just a little fun.

Who doesn't hook up at weddings?

From the looks of it, even her boss was getting it tonight. She was happy for him. Clary made him the best version of himself, and his children brought out the fun side of him, making things way easier on herself and Cambry. Zach hadn't been around lately, mostly sticking to his room or sneaking out at night, but Blake was sure he'd agree.

"Yeah, it's a pretty great place. Besides the fact that it always sweltering hot, like me, and there's nothing to do, besides me." Kaden smirked.

Usually Blake would roll her eyes and stalk away, but his cockiness was strangely endearing.

"I'm impartial to New York. It's part of the reason I chose to live there." Blake admitted, before mentally chiding herself. She did not reveal intimate details to tissue boys. The uses once, throw away pallet cleansers.

"Where did you used to live? And why did you move in the first place?" Their blue eyes locked together as he asked with genuine interest. Blake felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Well my parents were turned, and my older brother disappeared on me, so my only relative left was Jace Herondale. I don't think he actually knows but…" Blake shrugged her shoulders. Kaden nodded like he understood, but nobody could ever understand. She was the tissue everyone used, crumbled up, and discarded.

"Blake, I like you, and I would like to know more about you. Will you be Idris another day?"

* * *

Herondale Manor was exactly the same as it was the last time Jace had visited it.

Golden and glorious, it stood perched on its hill like it had since the 19th century. Herondale's were survivors, properties included.

"Ready?" Jace asked his fiancée as her emerald eyes took in the house with a smile.

The kids were already playing in the yard as the late winter sun cast a glow over the gardens. It was picturesque, and exactly how Jace would have wanted his life to be if he were asked in the past.

"It's beautiful." She stated as she got up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He caught her waist, pulling her into him.

"You're beautiful." He whispered in her ear, causing Clary to flush with color.

"Alright kiddos, it's time to head inside." Jace called to Andrew and Ceilea, still donning their wedding attire, now stained with mud.

"Oh by the Angel, you two are disgusting!" Clary sighed into Jace's chest, who just chuckled.

"Do you know what that means?" Jace said steadily, facing his children, who shook their head no.

"Bath time!" Clary shouted, laughing as Ceilea ran away, bumping into Andrew as she went. He got grudgingly to his feet.

"As long as there are no duckies in the tub." Andrew said solemnly.

Ceilea stopped to roll her eyes at her brother, giving Jace just enough time to snatch his daughter up and drag her, kicking and screaming, in to the newly renovated Herondale Manor, ready for his family and their new life to begin.

* * *

**So that's that. Blake and Cambry are actually based off of my best friend and I, and their two new love intrests are based off of real life experiences so that's cool, I guess. Also, I'm looking at prom dresses and sobbing because they're so beautiful. Uhg. High school is so petty but we all care so much! **

**Anyways... Remember to rate and review and favorite and follow and what not!**

**xoxox, A **


	13. The New Clave Order

**Could it be? Is it true? Yes. I am updating DURING THE WEEK! I somehow managed to finish my homework and registration for AP exams so I worked on my story a little bit. Also, happy national pancake day. I ditched my fifth period to go to ihop with some friends because pancakes are important. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the mortal instruments, or the Herondale boys. Sad, right? **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Have you made any progress?" The man snapped, rolling his eyes at the boy's incompetence. He had infiltrated Mr. Herondale's life years ago, but still couldn't carry out a simple plan, a trivial task. He was a fool for trusting a teenage boy to extract the revenge he so thoroughly deserved.

They say when you want something done, you do it yourself.

* * *

His lips were on her neck, and hands running up and down her sides. It was purely blissful.

The kids were with Magnus and Alec, who needed to see if they could be competent parents before they figured out how to start their own family. Letting them have their trial run with the twins would truly show how much they could really take, especially since Ceilea must've been the most difficult child since Jonathan Herondale himself.

The insistent pounding on the door caused Clary to groan, as it demolished their preconceived notion that they were alone. Her head hit the pillow as she watched Jace stand up to open the door, only in his jeans.

"Ah, Mr. Gladstone. What can I do for you today?" Jace sighed; running a hand through his wildly messed up curls.

"Uhm… Well I- uh…" Zachary started, flustered and averting his eyes from his boss's state of undress. He also noticed Clary in the background, suppressing silent laughter as it shook her bare shoulders.

"I just came to say that the girls and their two new companions followed the new lead on the dead Shadowhunter's whereabouts, and came back empty handed. We need to discuss our next step, which means you have to show up to the meeting this time." The boy sputtered, angst and something else hidden in his dark colored eyes.

"What are you trying to say, Zachary? That I'm incompetent? That I'm irresponsible? Please, little boy, tell me how you really feel." Jace snapped. Even from behind, Clary could tell his golden eyes had darkened with rage. He was a prideful man, and this boy wasn't doing much to help his situation.

"Jace." Clary warned, knowing this was not going to end well. He straightened up.

"Yes well, I will be there in ten minutes. Call the Conclave to the library, unless you cannot handle that little task without my help?"

Something flashed in the younger man's eyes, but it dissipated before Clary could discern the emotion.

"That was strange." Muttered Clary, grudgingly getting out of bed.

Jace stared after the boy a little longer, eyes narrowed.

"Tell me about it, babe."

* * *

The Conclave meeting was pointless, full of arguing and accusations, so it was time to go to Alicante, where more arguing and accusations would occur.

Jace sighed, rubbing his face with his hands as Clary rubbed his back soothingly.

The situation was getting out of hand. Innocent, good Shadowhunters kept dying, and he had no idea who was behind it

"If you think about it, the bodies descriptions matches the ones from the Carstairs' deaths all those years ago." Clary muttered, implications clear in her tone.

"By the Angel, do you think it's the same killer?" Jace asked, turning to face her. Her green eyes battled emotion but she simply shrugged.

"It's plausible, I just don't know why they waited so long to start killing again."

Jace shook his curls out of his eyes, noting that he needed a haircut.

"Maybe it's time to go talk to the Unseelie King." Jace said, fear clouding his tone. No Shadowhunter has attempted to speak to him since their creation in 1234 when Jonathan Shadowhunter himself attempted to make nice with the more unpleasant side of the Fair Folk.

"We'll talk to the Clave about it, alright? For now, we have to pack. Who knows how long we have to stay in Idris."

* * *

"_Dear Miss Carstairs, _

_As you may know, the Clave has called an emergency Council for all active members of the Clave to attend tomorrow in Alicante. Due to the sensitive nature of the pressing matter at hand, it is pertinent that I warn you before your arrival. The worldwide massacre of Shadowhunters, presumably 49 dead within the past five years by untraceable sources, bear the same markings as your parent's deaths 8 years ago. We understand if you choose not to attend, but the Portal for all residents of the London Institute is open to you as well. _

_Best regards, _

_Jia Penhallow, Consul"_

Emma shook in fury. They had told her it was Sebastian Morgenstern and his Endarkened that had slaughtered her parents. Of course, she never believed them, but the Clave was not even repentful for their careless error.

She expected a box of chocolates and some flowers, at least.

Maybe even a Hallmark condolence card?

Nope. All she got was a one-paragraph letter from the Consulwoman claiming that they were the first to die in a string of many. How wonderful.

Emma sighed, patting her stomach. It was April now, two months since she last saw him at the Lightwood wedding.

He hadn't even thrown her a sideways glance, even though she tried on many occasions to make eye contact.

Maybe it was because they were at the wedding of the daughter of the man that ruined their lives.

They were both nearly twenty, legal Shadowhunter adults, which meant that he would be there, in Idris, in the same house as her.

Once the Inquisitor found out they were staying together, he would surely separate them, but it gave her enough time to tell him about the baby.

Emma wondered how he would take it. Would he be elated? Or would it just break his heart even further?

No matter his reaction, Emma was just glad her family could be together for even the shortest amount of time.

* * *

Julian was pacing, splattering paint all over the foyer of Blackthorn manor. Albeit, it was his house due to the fact that his father had left it to him, but it made more of a mess he would have to clean up later.

His life was already one huge godammed mess, so why even bother.

It had been 67 days since he had last laid eyes on the love of his life, Emma Carstiars.

Her blonde hair had been done up in an intricate plait, and her electric blue and gold dress popped against her still tanned skin, even though it was perpetually rainy in London.

Throughout the entire ceremony and reception, he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and kiss her, but Robert Lightwood was there, and the bastard wanted their heads on a pike.

Julian knew that the love he shared with Emma wasn't wrong, but the Inquisitor's feelings on Parabatai relationships were not very good ones. He was still bitter about Michael Wayland and he took it out on Emma and Julian.

Now, all he had to do was wait for Emma to come through the front door.

She was only allowed to stay at Blackthorn manor because Arthur had adopted her along with all the other Blackthorn children after the Dark war, and had every right to stay with her family.

Julian was positive the Consul didn't tell Robert Lightwood. He would've had an aneurysm.

The handle began to move, and the door clicked open.

Julian whirled around to face her, knowing it was Emma before even setting eyes on her. She smelled of rosewater and sweat and simply Emma.

"Julian." She breathed, locking her brown eyes with his verdigris ones. There was a prominent lump in his throat as he moved to embrace her, wrapping her up in his muscled arms.

"By the Angel, Ems. I missed you so much." He nearly sobbed as she pressed her lithe figure into his chest. She was wearing a standard black gear jacket over a dark red tank top and denim shorts, just like old times.

"There's something I need to tell you." She said, looking up at him with watery eyes. He knit his eyebrows together, but silently urged her to go on.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

"I think I can see us living here." Clary said with a small smile, startling Jace out of his reverie. They were standing in the master bedroom of the Manor house, painted exactly to Clary's tastes.

Next-door was Ceilea's room, followed by Andrew's, and six more unoccupied rooms, waiting to be filled.

"Really?" He said incredulously. He couldn't imagine social, lively, city-girl Clary wanting to live in Idris full time. She thrived in New York, and would be lonely out here.

"Think about it, Jace. The Lightwood's could live next door, and Portal's make it very convenient for trips. This is the perfect place to raise our family, and I intend on making it a big one."

Jace's eyebrow's shot up at that one, and lips curved into a smirk.

"I think that can be arranged." He growls, pulling her down on to the bed.

* * *

"What? Emma, are you sure?" Julian spluttered, feeling more than slightly shell-shocked. The last time they had done, _that thing that they did_, was during the last Council meeting in December. She couldn't be pregnant, could she?

Emma was watching his face carefully, studying the shifts and changes in his expressions.

They were both silent for a few moments, neither one looking at each other before Julian spoke again.

"Emma-" He tried, but was cut off.

"I understand if you don't want anything to do with me. I mean, the Clave can already guarantee you won't have to! I just- I just thought you should know." He could see Emma was close to tears now, and it broke his heart.

He grabbed her face, reeling her into him, and pressed his lips down on hers. After a few uncomfortable moments, she allowed him entrance.

They broke away, gazing intently into each other's eyes.

"I love you, Emma Carstairs, and I will love our child just as much. I won't lose my family without a fight."

* * *

"Order! We need order!" Shouted a very angry Jia Penhallow over the horde of bickering Shadowhunters. The Accords Hall was pack to its capacity with bodies, all with an opinion.

"Blasphemy!" Tarefhi Malia of the Bangladesh Institute shouted.

"No Shadowhunter would wound another after the wars we have endured!" Screamed an outraged Aubriana Whitewhicker, head of the Dublin Institute.

"You have all gone mad." Silently stated Jeffery Markson, Savannah Institute resident once the hall had quieted down.

"How so, Markson?" Jia asked, reigning in her emotions. She did not understand how the last female Consul, Charlotte Fairchild, managed to control thousands of people with such a soft voice.

The man said nothing more in his soft southern accent, shifting his gaze over to Clarissa Fairchild, sitting with Jonathan Herondale towards the back. Their hands were intertwined, and her head was resting on the New York Institute head's shoulder. Jia smiled despite herself.

"Now that the insessive chatter has ceased, we may proceed." Jia began, straightening up before the Clave.

"We have many matters to discuss today. First and foremost, there is the pressing issue of the missing Shadowhunters. Forty-seven presumed dead, all bearing the same marking as John and Cordelia Carstairs, the first in this string of murders. We had once believed it was the doing of Sebastian Morgenstern, but now he is no more. Now, anyone with vetted theory's may approach the Consul."

Jace Herondale stood up in front of the Clave, rebuttoning his blazer jacket.

"The majority of the disappearances have been in my home, New York City. Our Conclave has reasons to believe the Shadowhunter responsible is not working alone. We believe that the Unseelie Court is assisting him or her in hiding the bodies, perhaps locked in a vegetative state, allowing us to believe them post-mortem upon discovery. They were not taken to the Silent City, simply disappearing, a tell-tale sign of dark magic." He spoke so eloquently, Jia could hardly believe he was the same angst-ridden boy he had been eight years ago.

"Thank you, Mr. Herondale. That is very insightful. We will investigate your theories thoroughly." She said approvingly.

There was a scoff in the silent room. All eyes turned on to Jeffery Markson.

The young, twenty something year old man was rolling his light blue eyes, scratching his scruffy, red beard.

"Are we really listening to the man who has been drinking his life away for the last seven years? I mean, come on. What has Jace Herondale actually accomplished since he was appointed to his position at 18?"

Jace visibly paled and the Clave erupted in murmurs.

Clarissa was glaring at the man, a confused look on her face. A look of recognition passed along her features before she too paled with fear.

"Mr. Markson, Jonathan Herondale has been an exemplary leader for the Conclave of New York, and a model Shadowhunter. There is nothing behind you accusations. Please, be seated and try to maintain civility. We are here to solve problems, not create them." Robert Lightwood snapped, standing up for his adopted son. The Council fell silent at the deep, booming voice of the Inquisitor.

"All in favor of investigating the Fair Folk, say 'I'."

A collective murmur of confirmations echoed throughout the room.

"Next order of discussion, we have an appeal from a case closed a year and a half ago." Jia said, glancing over to Robert Lightwood. Understanding and disgust crossed her counterpart's face. How disappointing, she thought.

"Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn, please step forwards." Jia called, avoiding the faces of her daughter, Aline, and her girlfriend Helen Blackthorn. Three other Blackthorn siblings sat in the crowd, anticipating the next events.

The former Parabatai pair approached the dais, hand in hand.

Gasps filled the room, followed by derogatory terms spat at the couple.

The tall, blonde girl faced the Council, turning her back on Jia and the Inquisitor.

"Hello, my name is Emma Carstairs, former resident of the Los Angeles Institute, and I am pregnant with my Parabatai's child."

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN DUN. You go, Emma. Stick it to the man! ( Robert Lightwood). Anyways, these Clave members are pretty sketchy... I wonder why.. Well, I know, and you don't, so stay tuned for more Scandals and Secrets!**

**P.s., the sequel to this will be titled "Secrets and Lies" **

**P.s.s, I'm writing a book! Yay!**


	14. Cardiac Arrest

**Hello, beautiful people! I'm back with another chapter of "Scandals and Secrets"! This chapter ties up a few loose ends from the breadcrumb trail I left in my other chapters. The plot at this point may seem a little all over the place, but all the stones will fall into place, in good time. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except the ones I made up. All rights for Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, ect. go to the glorious Cassandra Clare.**

**Also, do you like the teenagers? Should I do their POV more often? They have a pretty interesting story to tell, if you would like to hear it ;)**

**Without futher ado, enjoy!**

* * *

"Hello, my name is Emma Carstairs, former resident of the Los Angeles Institute, and I am pregnant with my Parabatai's child."

The room fell completely silent.

Wide-eyed, open-mouthed Shadowhunters stunned into stillness stared at Emma.

Some wore expressions of sympathy, others with fury. It was taboo, unheard of. Emma could get her marks stripped, made into a mundane.

She prayed to the Angel it would not hurt the baby.

The Consul cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable. She was Emma's greatest champion, and yet, she still acted as thought she were harboring a criminal.

"Miss Carstairs, would you like to explain what you are asking from the Clave by revealing that… Intimate detail of your life?" Jia spoke, not looking directly at Emma or Julian.

"True love comes along once, maybe twice in a life time. It's a feeling like all of the wind has been knocked out of your chest, like you can't breathe, until you're around that person. It's crazy, and undeniable. I love Julian like that, and I know he loves me back. Being separated by the Clave has slowly torn our souls apart, day-by-day. Yes, we became Parabatai, but we were young, and still believed in cooties. Now, we're older and in love. There's nothing we, or anyone else can do to change that."

* * *

Julian stood off to the side, out of the spotlight, as he watched Emma stand up to the Clave, defending their love. It was heartbreaking, yet hopeful at the same time. Maybe she really could convince them that their love was real.

The disgust in the room was palpable, dousing ever spark of hope he could conjure up.

"They cannot get their marks stripped, Jace! It would kill her baby." Clary sobbed softly into Jace's chest. He stroked her back soothingly, but nothing could assuage her guilt. The meeting went horribly. Almost every Shadowhunter voted 'no' on the issue of Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn. They were in love, and didn't need a council to tell them if it was acceptable or not.

They were given the chance to never see each other again, or leave the Clave.

They both chose to turn mundane.

* * *

"What would you have done?" Clary whispered to Jace as they sat on the hill above the Gard. It was her favorite thinking spot in Alicante.

"I would leave the Clave." Jace said with an air of finality. He took no time on deliberating, either. Clary felt a flush rise in her cheeks. Shadowhunting was Jace's life, his passion.

"But you love being a Shadowhunter!" Clary protested, smiling slightly, despite herself.

"Yes, but I love you more, Clarissa Fray."

* * *

The cells of the Silent City chilled Emma and Julian to the bone as they awaited their punishments. Their hands were clenched tightly together, and they both knew that would endure this as long as they were together.

"I'm so, so sorry." Emma sobbed, trying desperately to rub the tears out of her eyes. She was acting ridiculous, and blamed it on the pregnancy hormones.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about, Mems. You did nothing wrong. The Clave did. Now, we get to live our lives and raise our family. I can get a job as a painter, and you, well, Emma Carstairs can do almost anything." Julian smiled as he pushed a thumb gently under her wet eyes.

They leaned in to kiss, but a flash of blue light snapped their attention elsewhere.

"Clary?" Emma whisper-yelled as the redheaded woman held up a gleaming witchlight stone.

Clary smiled, twirling a stele between her fingers. She pressed it down on the lock holding the pair, drawing an especially powerful opening rune.

"I couldn't just sit by and watch as the Clave punished you for one of humanity's most natural feelings. Love is love, and it will never die between you two. I just wish the council could have seen that."

She drew another Portal rune, pushing Emma and Julian through just as the guards from down the hall came running and shouting.

One tried to grab Clary's arm, but she way already gone.

* * *

"So, where did you take them?" Asked Jace, flipping pancakes. Isabelle, Simon, Alec and Magnus were all coming to the manor house today before yet another round of tedious Clave meetings, full of drama, accusations, and bickering.

Clary cut into her thick stack of buttered pancakes, contemplating whether or not to tell him the truth. She should, of course, but it would be safer if nobody knew.

She sighed, subconsciously reaching for Ceilea's hand, who sat in the stool besides her. Andrew had already finished and was efficiently preparing himself for a day at Amatis' old house with Luke, Jocelyn, and Felicity.

"I Portalled them to London to meet Tessa and Jem. They're going to help them get set up in the mundane world." Clary admitted, swirling syrup around with her fork.

She loved and trusted Jace with all her heart, but he was ambitious and stated on many occasions that he wanted to move up the ranks in the Clave, a very different goal than he had as a teenager. That kind of pertinent information was something a law abiding Shadowhunter would've spilled to the Consul in a heartbeat.

"Good. I hope they'll be happy." Jace sighed, ruffling his daughter's hair as he passed. He pressed a kiss to Clary's temples before walking into their bedroom to shower.

* * *

The man, clad in black Shadowhunting gear, stood upon the hill overlooking the golden Herondale Manor. He scowled at the opulent gardens and flowing fountains. The two blonde, angelic looking children skittered around the yard, throwing what looked like yellow rubber ducks.

The man scowled.

The notorious playboy Jonathan Herondale was living a perfect life with the woman he loved. The woman he didn't deserve.

If only Clarissa knew the truth. She would leave him in an instant and go back to Georgia where she belonged.

He picked up his cell phone and punched in the ten digits that were the key to his plan being a success. Thank the Angel he was far enough away from Alicante to allow the radio waves to work.

"Hello?" Said a seductive, feminine voice from the other end.

"Hello, darling. I have another mission for you." He smirked.

It would be fun to see him squirm.

* * *

"Yet another pointless meeting, courtesy of our wonderful Clave leaders." Muttered Jace, oozing sarcasm. Clary gave him a tight smirk as they made their way back to Amatis' old house in town.

He could tell there was something bothering her, but he didn't press it. He hoped she would get over her mood in time for their family outing tonight.

They had almost made it undisturbed until Jace heard a shrill, slightly familiar voice behind them. He froze suddenly, causing Clary's hand to slip from his.

"Jace? Jace Herondale? Is that really you?" Jace and Clary whirled around, only to face a medium height, curvy blonde with light brown eyes, clad in the most revealing black gear he had ever seen.

She was beaming at Jace, already surging forward to envelope him in a tight, vanilla scented hug. He coughed at her strong perfume.

"By the Angel, Jacey! It has been way too long. I think the last time we saw each other was at Pandemonium last year! I remember that night really well." She said with a wink.

Clary had enough by this point, stepping around a shell-shocked Jace, plastering on the fakest smile he had ever seen her wear.

"Hi! I'm Jace's fiancée, Clarissa. Sorry, but I didn't catch your name." Clary simpered, offering the blonde an extended hand. She wearily took it.

"I'm Christine. Jace, you never had a fiancée, or a girlfriend, any of the times we were together." She seethed, glaring at Clary with her hateful, hazel eyes.

Jace said nothing, watching as the gears turned in Clary's head, putting the pieces together.

"You." Clary growled, stepping towards Christine. Her green eyes were narrowed, and her red upper lip was curled into a scowl. "You're the slut that came on to him that night."

He knew what she was remembering, the night in the rain, July 2008. The night things began to go wrong between them.

"It wasn't just that night, sweetie. Even when you were around, your boyfriend here obviously wasn't satisfied. Once you and your child-sized behind took off, we had the most mind-blowing sex ever. Like, I couldn't form a coherent word aside from 'Jace'. Thank the Angel for stamina runes, am I right?"

The look on Clary's face, pale and wide-eyed, shattered Jace's heart.

"Clary, I can explain-" Her murderous look cut him off. She turned back to Christine, who was looking particularly smug.

"Listen, you cheap whore. Don't even think for a second you're anything special, so wipe that little look off your face." Clary snapped, before storming off in fury towards Jocelyn and Luke's.

Jace wished nothing but to follow, but sharp, pink painted nails dug into his forearm.

"Why bother with Strawberry Shortcake when you can have all of this?" Christine purred, motioning up and down her body.

A year ago when he believed Clary didn't love him anymore, he would have pounced on the chance, but things were different now.

"Never again, Christine. Stay away from me and my family." He took off sprinting, hoping to catch up with Clary before she did something rash, again.

* * *

Christine Belleponte stared after Jace, a smirk plastered on her ruby red lips. The bitch and her perfect little boyfriend may not know it yet, but she had them exactly where she wanted them.

He could have Clary, for whatever reasons someone like him would want the awkward little redhead, and she could have Jace. Glorious, glorious Jace.

It was delicious to think about.

"It's done." Christine spoke as she heard the footsteps behind her.

"Excellent work, my dear."

* * *

Isabelle had her nose stuck, Simon style, in a mundane, prenatal health book, as she carefully rubbed her stomach. It was late April, and she was almost out of her first trimester, which Clary had said was the most dangerous stage. She couldn't lose this baby.

Spending time with Jocelyn, watching Clary and Jace's twins had really helped Isabelle realize how much she wanted to be a mother. Clary seemed so happy these days, which was why Isabelle was shocked when the bedroom door burst open, revealing a tear stained Clary herself.

She watched as her best girl friend hastily scrawled runes she had never seen before on the door, but she assumed it was to keep intruders out.

"What's wrong, Clare?" Isabelle asked, voicing her concern. She hadn't been like this since _that night._

"Did you know?" She demanded between sobs. They were the kind of helpless, heartbroken cries that wracked the entire body, rendering them inconsolable.

It took awhile to figure out what Clary could possible be talking about.

* * *

"_You can't tell her!" Jace had demanded, still wiping off the pink lipstick from his cheek. He smelled like a bar, and heavy September rain. _

_Isabelle was fed up with his reckless behavior. He had a wonderful, loving girlfriend who would always be there for him, and yet he was hooking up with some cheap whore on the side? It wasn't fair._

"_Clary is like a sister to me, and you're cheating on her! How long has this been going on, Jace?" Isabelle screeched, wanting to dig her sharp nails into his neck._

"_Since July, after that night at Pandemonium, when you guys saw me." He admitted sheepishly, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. Isabelle wished to decapitate him._

"_You idiot! What are you going to do when she finds out, because I assure you, she will." _

_Jace's eyes widened fractionally at the thought of the angry redhead. _

"_She'll probably just make a Runed voodoo doll of me to stab a couple times." Jace joked, not getting the severity of the situation._

"_Do you even love her at all, Jonathan?" Isabelle snarled. That seemed to wipe the cocky grin right off his drunken face._

"_I-" He faltered, seemingly at a loss of words. _

"_Mark my words, Jace. She's going to leave you, and you'll understand exactly what heartbreak feels like, and trust me, it's not fun."_

"_Simon didn't break your heart, Isabelle. Simon doesn't even remember your relationship." Tears sprung into Isabelle's dark eyes. She looked away._

"_Get out, Jace, and don't come back until you stop acting like Valentine."_

* * *

Isabelle remembered that night, the one where she predicted the inevitable decline of Jace and Clary's relationship. Granted, she had no idea it would end because of a pregnancy, but she knew it would end. She told Jace herself, once before, and once after.

After Clary had ran away, Jace and his little blonde hooker met more frequently. He even brought her to the Institute several times, where an angry Isabelle and Simon promptly attacked her. The rekindling of their relationship was one thing she had Jace to thank for.

It wasn't a serious relationship to Jace, just a way to pass the time, but Isabelle could see that- Chrissie? Christine? Karen? - Had a little crush on him. It was hilarious to watch.

To his credit, he ended it after Emma Carstairs had visited before relocating to the London Institute. She wondered what she said to him.

"Yes, I did. I wanted to tell you, but it would've only broken your heart further, Clare. When you came back, I wanted to warn you, but you and Jace looked so happy, so alive, so I let it go."

Clary nodded, still pacing the room. They could both hear the insessive pounding, but knew no one could listen in, or break in.

"How long?" She whimpered, voice barely a whisper.

"He was cheating on you, Clare. Ever since that night at Pandemonium." Isabelle said sympathetically, wrapping her arms around the shorter redhead. Clary went stiff, breaking away from her embrace.

"You don't mean…" Clary gasped, realizing how long it had been going on. She did the mental math. Six months of their relationship, he had been cheating on her.

"Izzy, please go get Ceilea and Andrew for me." Clary said calmly, reaching to scrawl a rune on Isabelle's palm. "That will allow you to get back in this room. Tell Luke and my mother that I'm going back to Georgia."

* * *

**Freaking Jace Herondale, couldn't keep it in his pants. If you look back a few chapters, I left a pretty clear trail in like the 4th and the 11th chapters (I think?) what his dirty little secret was. Scandalous, right? Let's play a little game, shall we?**

**10 reviews: more Clace drama, and a long, heartwrenching resolution.**

**15 reviews: clace drama, but a only slightly heartwrenching resolution, with a cutsy makeup scene.**

**20 reviews: the best possible version of the plotline that I could ever write with smut, heartache, and drama from our favorite ships.**

**You've got 5 days! Unless I get really, really bored this weekend and update sunday night, which will probably happen soooo you better review, follow, and favorite!**


	15. Riptide

**Alright, so I was super impressed by the eagerness in the 15 reviews I received in less than 24 hours, so why not post another chapter? I went out to breakfast with my distance track team this morning, but had nothing else to do all day so I hunkered down and wrote this heart-wrenching piece of crap chapter. If you can't tell already, I have had some bad relationship experiences so there was no problem writing heartless male behavior in the last two chapters for me. Anyways, disclaimer. I don't own anything but the made up characters and the plotline. Everything else is Cassandra Clare's. All rights go to her.**

* * *

It took everything Clary had not to breakdown, to rupture into millions of tiny fragments that used to be her heart.

Each word reiterated by Izzy was like a tiny knife, creating tiny welts on her insides. She felt queasy, like her entire world had flipped over.

It had, hadn't it?

Isabelle, being the little traitor she was, brought Jocelyn up instead of Ceilea or Andrew, who was now rubbing soothing circles on her daughter's back as she released relentless raindrops, feeling like acid as they escaped her tear ducts.

Jace Herondale, the only man she had ever loved in her 23, going on 24, years on this planet, had cheated on her.

Not just a drunken one night stand, but a full-blown affair while they were still together.

Every caress, every word, ever kiss had been a lie.

She willingly gave her virginity to him, loved him, cherished him. She truly believed that they were happy together. That one cold January night that she had found out she was pregnant had been such a happy moment for her. She grinned ear to ear at the prospect of raising a family with Jace. She imagined them having a boy first, followed by a girl, and another boy. Jace would be a wonderful father, and they'd live in the Herondale Manor. Simon would realize his mistakes and come back to fight for Isabelle, and Alec and Magnus would finally get married.

The life she yearned for and the life she got were so totally different.

* * *

"_Jem, are you sure?" Clary asked nervously, biting her nails. The three pregnancy tests she had taken were not enough proof for Clary, and she knew every Herondale wife had gone to Brother Zachariah for confirmation about their pregnancies. _

_The now no longer Silent Brother gave Clary a rueful, yet excited smile._

"_I'm sure, Clarissa. Remember, I have been doing this for the better part of two centuries." He said jokingly, attempting to lighten the tense mood in between them. _

_Clary sighed, burying her head in her hands. She just hoped he would take it well._

_The night she told him, it was been snowing. Fluffy flakes drifted through the sky, slowly picking up speed with a flourish, tangling in Clary's dark red curls._

_Days ago, Jace had been appointed to be the next Institute head, a birthday present of sorts from Robert Lightwood, his adoptive father and Inquisitor. Ever since then, he had spent hours upon hours in the greenhouse, staring up at the ceiling. Clary could rarely ever find him after midnight. She assumed he was out with Alec, slaying demons to relieve stress._

_She was lucky tonight, for he was perched on the winding iron staircase where they had shared their first kiss._

_He looked rueful, and strangely contemplative. _

_Tears sprung fresh into Clary's eyes as she climbed the steps to meet him._

_He looked up, golden eyes boring into her green ones._

"_Jace." She stated softly, taking his rough hand in hers. It was warm and soothing._

"_Clary, what's wrong?" He asked, but his voice betrayed his falsified concern. Clary knit her eyes brows. Maybe she should do this another time? No. She had to do it now, or she never would._

_She swallowed, trying to fight the tears that raced down her cheekbones, all the way to her jaw-line. Jace moved to thumb them away._

_Do it now, Clary, she chided herself._

"_I'm pregnant." She confessed, biting her lip, hard._

_He removed his hands from her face, like touching her was detrimental to his health, and that her tears were toxic. _

"_You're what?" He growled through gritted teeth, inching away from Clary, causing tiny tremors to shake her entire body._

"_Jace-" Clary tried to speak, but was quickly cut off._

"_What the hell, Clary? I thought you were on the pill! Did you try to get pregnant?" He seethed, spitting the words out of his mouth like bullets. _

"_No of course not, but I don't see why it's such a big deal, Jace. I mean, Jocelyn had Jonathan when she was 19, and Celine was 18 with you. We're Shadowhunters, we marry young." Clary felt so wrong, like her fluttering happiness had been crushed. He should be excited. He loved her, right? So shouldn't he love this baby?_

"_Well what if I don't want to marry you, Clary?" He snapped, turning the full force of his angry, gold orbs on her._

_Clary gasped, clutching at her chest. After everything they had been through, he didn't want to marry her?_

"_You- you don't want to marry me, Jace?" Clary asked, a new wave of salinated tears filling her tear ducts._

"_No, Clary, that's not what I meant." He sighed, tugging harshly on his gilded curls. They were cut shorter than they used to be, not even falling to his forehead._

"_Take care of that, thing, and then we can talk." He sneered, motioning to her stomach._

"_What did you just say?" Clary replied, throwing up her best imitation of Jocelyn's "scary calm"._

"_God, Clary. Are you dumb? Get it out. Get an abortion. How ever you want to phrase it, just get rid of it." _

_Something inside of Clary snapped. She began to shudder incisively, unable to control the water spilling from her eyes. _

_Yes, she would get rid of it, but not her baby. She would get rid of the toxic man in her life._

"_Goodbye, Jace." Clary whispered, turning to run down the stairs. _

_She knew exactly what she needed to do._

* * *

"Clary, you should have told me everything sooner." Jocelyn whispered, tears shrouding her voice.

"Well, I did now, and I have no idea what to do." Clary whimpered, dabbing her eyes with the sleeves of her black cardigan. There was probably tearstains on her dark skinny jeans and snot on her green, jewel toned knit scarf, but she could care less about her fashion disasters right now.

Was she too young to have a midlife crisis? At this rate, she'd be dead by 48, which was currently fine by her.

The only thing she had left to live for was her children, and they'd be self-sufficient by then.

"Baby, if you go back to Georgia, I will personally drag you out of that Institute kicking and screaming. Ceilea would probably help." Her mother mused, patting Clary's head. She groaned, burying her face in her pillow.

"You can't run forever, Clarissa." Jocelyn said softly, yet firmly. She was right. Clary needed to face her demons, and to do that she needed the people she loved by her side.

* * *

"I swear, everyone is getting pregnant these days." Snorted Blake, as she and her Parabatai ran the perimeter of Blackhurst manor. After a good five miles, they both collapsed near the small duck pond, heavily panting.

"I wonder if Clary's pregnant again. She was acting weird the last time we saw her." Cambry agreed, folding over the waistband of her pink compression shorts.

It was true. Last night when they went by the Herondale townhouse, Clary's eyes had been bloodshot, and the usually talkative redhead barely said a word.

They were due back in New York in three days, leaving Blake to wonder if her newfound relationship with Kaden would work out long distance.

She also wondered what in the world was going on between Cambry and Garrett.

Suddenly, two tanned blondes cannonballed into the pond, drenching the girl's sports bras and shorts.

"C'mon in, ladies. The water's fine!" Exclaimed Garrett, throwing a wink at Cambry. Blake couldn't help but notice her best friend's blush.

She deserved love after all the shit that girl has been through. Sure, they had each other, but Cambry deserved to know what true love was. The Angel only knows if she still believes in it or not.

Blake felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist, dripping water down her smooth legs. She whirled around and came face to face with Kaden, droplets still falling from his messy blonde hair. His blue eyes shone with amusement before he brought his lips down on hers. Ever since the wedding, they had been finding times to meet in secret, with only Cambry and Garrett knowing what was going on.

Blake longed to know whether or not what they had was real, or just a series of hook-ups.

She gazed over to Cambry, who was flushed scarlet as Garrett tentatively took her hand, pulling her closer into him.

Her Parabatai rarely ever touched anyone, let alone allowed someone to touch her like that. Blake sighed.

She wondered what it was like, experiencing love so purely, in the light of day, instead of under the covers.

* * *

Jace ran as fast as he could; only hoping he could still salvage their relationship.  
He had no idea what Christine would be in Idris, since she told him she preferred the mundane world to the Shadow one.

He hated himself for knowing that. He hated himself for even screwing her in the first place. He had just been so lonely.

Clary had moved into the Institute, but things only got worst between them. She was distant, cold, and boring. His entire life, Jace had never had a serious girlfriend.

He believed to love was to destroy, and then Clary came along and rocked his world.

He never stopped loving her, even when he was with another girl.

How horrible was that? How could he love someone so deeply, yet betray them without a single hesitation?

He could blame it on the 'boys will be boys' mentality, but he needed to take responsibility for his actions.

He just hoped he could make Clary understand before it was too late.

Approaching the house, he bumped into Cambry and Blake, who were staying at the Blackhurst's on Princewater Street.

"Hello." Jace greeted his wards, regaining his composure. The two girls gave him a curious look, but he brushed it off. The opinions teenagers had of him hardly mattered.

The moment he crossed the threshold, a very, very angry Isabelle assaulted him.

She wrung her hands around her adoptive brother's throat, the intent of murder clear in her dark brown eyes.

"You dirty, dirty asshole! What is wrong with you? Why was I the one to tell her? Why did you even do it in the first place? She tried to run away again, you know. Block you out of Ceilea and Andrew's life. You don't deserve to be there anyways." Isabelle spat at him. Jace could hardly choke out an answer, since her talons were digging into his neck and cutting off his air passages.

"Let him go, Izzy." Stated a tired, resigned voice from behind them.

Clary was descending down the stairs, cloaked in a warm blanket, clutching what looked to be a cup of hot chocolate. Her eyes were bloodshot, but there were no current tears threatening to spill over.

It didn't make Jace feel any better.

"Clary-" He started forwards, but his wrist was pulled back by Isabelle's whip. It stung like a bitch, but he knew he deserved it.

Clary stared at him, emptiness in her eyes. She showed no emotion, not even when Jace surged forwards to grab her left hand. Nothing, not even a flicker. He also noticed she had removed the Herondale ring, her engagement ring.

"Clary." He tried again, pleading with her. Her green eyes wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I have nothing to say to you." She finally says in a raspy, ragged voice. Pulling the wrap closer around her body, she moves past him and sits down on the couch, flicking on a warm, yellow lantern. She picks up a worn copy of 'A Tale Of Two Cities' and focuses intently on the words between the bindings.

"Clary. Can we please just talk about this?" Jace whisper-shouted, assuming the twins were upstairs sleeping. Clary took a long, thoughtful sip of her hot chocolate before glancing at Isabelle.

"Iz? Can you give us a minute?" Clary asks, sharing a loaded glance with her best friend. Isabelle purses her lips, throwing one last hateful glare at Jace before sauntering out of the room.

Clary looked up at him, green eyes blank, but expectant.

He slowly lowered himself to the ground, clutching her hand like it was the only thing still tethering him to reality. Clary looked away, anger crossing her face before fading back into indifference.

"I'm so, so sorry." Jace whispered, golden eyes pleading for her to look at him. She did not.

Her emerald eyes tinted with rage as she tried to hold in the inevitable.

Withdrawing her hand, Clary turned her hateful gaze on to Jace, causing his blood to run icy.

"Do you know how hard things were for me, Jace? Do you? From December all the way until May, I thought Simon would never remember me. That my best friend from my entire life, my only constant, was gone from me forever. The only one who shared even a fraction of my pain was Isabelle. I turned to you, Jace. We grew so close, and I thought you were my new constant, the person I couldn't live without." Clary stopped to regain her composure, taking deep, jagged breathes before continuing.

"After the wedding, I knew something was wrong with Simon. I knew why he was really leaving New York, and it killed me. I figured if he could leave me so easily, you could too. That's why I pulled away, that's why I stopped wanting to… have relations with you. I loved you so much, and you threw it back in my face that night that Isabelle and I found you at Pandemonium with some cheap slut draped all over you. You asked for a second chance, and I gave it to you, but things were never the same. I don't think they can ever be the same. We were just eluding ourselves, Jace. I think it's time for me to move on. I lived without you for seven years, and I can do it for plenty more."

Jace forgot how to breathe as his world came tumbling down around him.

"Clary, I love you." He pleaded, grabbing her face with his hands. He stared into her eyes, those green orbs that captured his heart. He poured his emotions into his gaze, willing her to see, to see _him._

"That means nothing to me." She whispered, struggling to pull out of his grasp. He let her go, hurt pounding in his chest.

"But-"

"But nothing, Jonathan Herondale. The fact of the matter is that you cheated on me for six months with some bottle blonde, said you didn't want to marry me, and didn't even attempt to try to find me when I ran away. You say to love is to destroy? Well, Valentine's son, you certainly destroyed me."

* * *

**Hit 'em where it hurts, sweetie pie. **

**Okay, so some of you are wondering who this mystery homie is and are glad he set things in motion for Clary to find out the truth. I promise he will be revealed in the next few chapters, and the signifigance to this story. Spoiler alert, we've met him and his accomplice. **

**Please keep the reviewing up! I'm sorry I don't reply to all of your reviews personally, but know that I appreciate every single comment. I always say I need a certain amount of reviews to post a new chapter, but I get bored and just start writing a lot. Or maybe I'm addicted to the email notifications I get from follows/reviews/favorites? **

**Idk. If you can get this to 100 reviews, I'd probably cry and send cookie baskets to all. Or clace baskets. Clace chapters? **

**xoxo, A**


	16. How Scandalous

**Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I'm so close to 100, and it would mean the world to me if we could reach that milestone, and more for this story! I've worked so hard on it, and it's really helping me hone my writing skills so I can hopefully write a book one of these days. Anyways, this is kind of a filler chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it, nonetheless. **

**disclaimer: don't own anything except my characters and the plotline**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The crisp, Illinois air slapped Clary's windblown cheeks, beating against her body as she knocked on the Chicago Institute door.

Mundanes saw it as an old, abandoned high school, but Clary knew the truth.

Clutching Ceilea and Andrew's hands in her own, she waited for someone, anyone to answer the door, impatiently tapping her brown riding boots.

"Mommy, I'm cold" Ceilea shuddered, teeth chattering. It was late April, and yet the weather was still hovering around 60 degrees.

"I liked Georgia better, mom. It was always warm there." Andrew said with a small pout. The young boy almost never complained about anything, but they were all going through a hard time right now.

Just when the twins had accepted their father into their lives and began forming a relationship with them, he was taken away from them. Clary couldn't even imagine how they felt.

Yes, it was his own fault, but she still felt guilty, nonetheless.

"Um, hello?" Someone snapped a pair of pink painted fingernails in front of Clary's face. She looked up, blushing fiercely at her ability to space off.

She looked up at the figure standing in the doorway. A tall, thin girl with reddish-brown hair stood in front of her, a hand cocked on her hip. She was dressed stylishly and her strange violet eyes regarded Clary warily.

"I'm so sorry! I'm a Shadowhunter, and I need a place to stay." Clary stated, meeting the girl's gaze. It was every Institute's mandate to allow boarding to traveling or wayward Nephilim.

The teenager sighed, stepping aside for Clary and her children to enter.

"Well, I should introduce myself, I guess. I'm Audrey Brookline, and my family runs the Institute here. Who are you?" She asked, examining her nails.

Clary knit her eyebrows, confused at this girl's rudeness, but brushed it aside.

"I'm Clarissa Fairchild, and these are my children, Ceilea and Andrew." Clary spoke, not even faltering on her last name. If she said Morgenstern, she might've been turned away. If she said Fray, they would have assumed she wasn't actually a Shadowhunter. Fairchild was always the safest bet.

Audrey gasped, throwing a hand over her open mouth. She turned red, looking ashamed.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry for my behavior. I didn't know it was _you_. I would have never-" The younger girl spat out, obviously flustered.

"Hey, hey! It's okay! I'm not upset, but I would like to know what you're going on about."

Audrey just gapped at her, like a shell-shocked fangirl meeting her celebrity crush. Not that Clary saw herself as a celebrity.

"You're like, my idol! You're a hero to Shadowhunter girls everywhere. For too long we've been tossed aside, spat on by the men, insisting that we belong at the Manor home, popping out babies to carry on the family name. Then you came along, Clary, and you changed things! Plus, you dated the hottest, most eligible Shadowhunter bachelor like, ever!" She giggled at the end, breaking out of her "angry feminist" persona.

Clary stiffened at the mention of Jace. She had hardly gotten away from him, and she knew he would never stop looking for her.

Audrey's eyes drifted down to the twins, gasping as she took in their green eyes, and telltale golden curls. It was obvious that they were Herondales.

"Hi, I'm Ceilea Herondale." She said stepping forwards. The little girl noted the larger one's outfit with a satisfactory nod. Andrew rolled his eyes at his sister's vanities.

Noticing nobody else was speaking, Ceilea continued.

"This is my brother, Andrew. He's seven minutes younger than I am. We're running away from our dad because he said some really mean things to mommy. She called him 'the biggest, most conceded asshole to ever grace the face of this planet'. I think it's funny because 'grace' and 'face' rhyme."

Andrew buried his face in his hands, knowing full well his sister was just trying to get a rise out of everyone, her foolproof way to attract attention.

"Ceilea Lucie Herondale! You know you are not supposed to say words like that." Clary snapped at her daughter. She was so much like Jace, it hurt.

"You said it too, mommy." She replied, batting her long, blonde eyelashes.

Clary sighed, looking back to the Brookline girl.

"I am so sorry their behavior." Clary apologized, but Audrey just brushed it off.

"No big deal. Let's get you situated and introduced to everyone."

* * *

"What do you mean?" The man snapped, growling into his cell phone. This was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to leave, yes, but she was supposed to go back to Georgia. He made sure that when she arrived, everything would be in place.

The man raked his unkempt fingernails down his face, most likely leaving long, jagged scars, but he did not care.

He had watched over her, he had kept her safe. He deserved her, and he would have her, if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

Jace paced back and forth, pausing momentarily to push back a few of his golden curls that messily tumbled into his forehead.

"You mean to tell me, that out of the five of you, no one could come up with any leads about Clary?" Jace nearly yelled, frightening the teenagers in front of him.

After the Council meeting in Idris, Garrett and Kaden Blackhurst had decided to move into the New York Institute. A choice they most likely regretted every time they crossed Jace Herondale's path.

"Maybe she doesn't want to be found." Muttered Zachary, looking off into the distance. He was still dressed in plaid pajama pants, and was studiously ignoring Cambry and Garrett's hand holding. Jace knew he had been carrying a torch for the Townsend girl since they were twelve years old, but never acted on it.

He was almost as big of an idiot as Jace himself.

"And maybe you should go polish the new order of Seraph blades from Idris." Jace smirked, dismissing the boy. Zachary rolled his eyes, but complied.

He turned back to the others.

"Now, the head of the Savannah Institute is coming by today, so I will be meeting with him. In the meantime, I've gotten a lead from a former… friend that Clary is in Chicago. I want the four of you to go and investigate, since my good for nothing siblings refuse."

The teenagers exchanged glances and excited smiles. All except Cambry.

She would have to face all she had left behind in her old hometown.

* * *

Clary trailed the hallways of the Chicago Institute, fingers itching for a quiet place to sit and draw the vast, glimmering skyline.

She wanted to go out and paint the massive silver bean in the middle of Millennium Park, but she knew it would be too dangerous. Stepping outside meant that _he _could find her.

Instead, she plopped down at the end of one of the residential halls, positioning herself comfortably in the windowsill nook.

Taking out her sketchbook, she began to draw.

What seemed like hours later, one of the doors opened, snapping Clary back to reality.

A tall brunette man with piercing blue eyes stepped out, gaze landing on Clary. He was all angles and curls, and very attractive. Clary pushed the thought down. It was too soon.

"I know I'm gorgeous, but it's not kind to stare. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable." The man spoke, arrogance clear in his tone. Clary rolled her eyes.

She sure knew how to attract the cocky ones.

She went back to her sketching, until it was ripped out of her hands.

"What the hell? You gave me a paper cut!" Clary yelled, not caring that she sounded like an angsty teenager.

"Sucks for you. Although, aren't you the rune girl? Just draw an ity, bitsy Iratze to fix it." He leaned against his doorframe, crossing his arms across the navy blue t-shirt that brought out his eyes, and muscular figure.

Clary rolled her eyes in response again, patiently waiting for him to return her pen and book.

"You're really talented." He said, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Clary scoffed. Why was everyone so shocked when they figured out she actually had artistic talent?

"Thanks." She muttered bitterly, holding her hand out expectantly.

He eyed the Herondale ring on her left finger, a piece of her past she couldn't bare to take off. Sure, Jace had broken her heart, but he would always be a part of her, expressed by his ring.

"Funny. I didn't get invited to the wedding." The man scoffed, still looking down at the silver ring, depicting herons in flight.

"Why would you have?" Clary rolled her eyes. She didn't bother to correct him that the wedding never would take place.

"Because Jace is my cousin, I think? Someone in his family married a Townsend. That's why my little sister went to live at his Institute after our parents died." He said thoughtfully, a far away look in his oceanic eyes.

"Cambry never mentioned having a brother." Clary spoke as his gaze refocused at the sound of his sister's name.

"She wouldn't have. We were never close, and it got worse after the war." He said bitterly.

"Well, we know all this information about each other, but I still don't know your first name." Clary said, biting back a smile, which he promptly returned.

"I'm Brandon Townsend, but you can call me Brody. Now please, Miss Fairchild, let me escort you to our dining hall." He said, offering her the crook of his elbow, which she took with a giggle.

Maybe she would enjoy her stay in the Windy City.

* * *

"Mr. Markson, thank you so much for coming down." Jace said amiably, greeting the very man that had denounced him in front of the Clave. He was tall, almost as tall as Jace, with cornflower blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair. He looked about Jace's age, maybe a bit older, with prominent scowl marks.

"Please, call me Jeff." He replied with just as much mock-happiness as Jace.

The two men sat in the Library, neither quite looking at each other. There was something about this man that set Jace off, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it. He subconsciously touched his forearm, where the rune she created for situations like this was marked.

"So, what do you know about Clarissa?" Jace began, hoping the rune worked the way it was supposed to. He could see the man forming his answer. _Everything._ The voice in his head spoke.

"Nothing pertinent." Jeff lied smoothly. Anyone without the rune Clary had created would've been fooled, but Jace knew better.

"Ah, then why have you agreed to meet with me?" Jace pressed further, hoping the man would conjure up more images or fragments of Clary. He knew so much. Jace could tell. He just needed to dig a little deeper in the depths of his mind.

"Well Clarissa Fray lived only a few miles outside of Savannah for seven years, so of course we were alerted of her presence. I never actually met her, but she seemed like a harmless, lovely girl, bent on protecting her children." Jace hardly noticed the bitter edge in his tone, more focused on the disturbing images flashing through his mind.

Like a reel of black and white movie footage, he saw Clary and a younger version of the twins playing in the park. He saw her in her diner uniform, unsuspectably serving Markson a large pile of biscuits and gravy. He saw Clary changing through the window of her small, weather-beaten house. He saw images of Markson meeting with Christine, plotting and scheming together. He saw images of Shadowhunter bodies, all lined up, pale and barely breathing, buried beneath ley lines. Jace knew what happened now, and he figured it all out too late.

"Liar." Jace snarled, standing up so he towered over the other man. "You stalked her! You've been planning all this from the beginning! You don't even know Clary, and yet you believe you can replace me in her life? Trust me, she and I are soulmates, and not even your little plan could get in the way of that."

A catlike grin spread across Markson's face, not bothering to care that he had been discovered.

"Ah, but Mr. Herondale, you have no tangible proof. Who do you think the Clave is going to believe? A credible, hard-working man, or a desperate drunk, still pining after his ex-lover?" Markson growled, a crazed look taking over his once harmless blue eyes.

"47 innocent Shadowhunters, Markson. Why? What was your motive? To attract attention? To draw Clary back to New York so you could break us up once and for all?" Jace questioned him, rage filling his body. It took all of his restraint not to kill the creep on the spot.

"They're not dead. They can be revived, with Clary's help. Only she knows the rune to save them, but I highly doubt she'd help you. Especially when you, the only one who knows the truth, joins them under the ground!"

* * *

It had been two weeks since Clary arrived in Chicago, and she was bored as ever. Demonic activity was low, and she had spent every spare hour she could at the art museums by the lakefront. Audrey had taken it upon herself to be the twin's personal babysitter, a fact Ceilea simply rejoiced at. They both shared a love for all things girly. Andre, however, preferred to spend his time with Brody; reading books in the library about mundane inventions and history.

The real reason for Clary's unhappiness came from a box, and a pink plus sign.

She and Jace seemed to have an excellent track record.

Clary had no idea what to do. Should she tell Jace? Probably. Did she want to?

Not at all.

While all the other residents were out and about, the Institute's doorbell chimed again, and again, and again.

With a heavy sigh, Clary rose from her comfortable nook to answer the door.

Isabelle Lightwood, flanked by four teenagers, stood in front of her, a panicked look on all of their faces.

"Isabelle! I thought I told you not to come after me!" Clary shouted, red rage clouding her vision. Isabelle's face crumbled even further.

"Clare, it's Jace. He's dying, along with 47 other Shadowhunters, and only you can save them."

* * *

**I actually grew up in Chicago, so it's fun writing about it, even if only for a chapter or two. So, should Clary save Jace? What's going to happen to the comatose Shadowhunters? Will they wake up the same? And why is the mysterious Markson holding such a grudge against Jace? And who is his accomplice? Stay tuned for the next edition of "Scandals and Secrets" to find out!**

**How corny am I? That sounded like the end of a dramatic television show with crap actors! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

**xoxo, A**


	17. AN

Hello, fun people!

Yes… I've been on quite the hiatus, I know, and I'm terribly sorry about that.

Unfortunately, it's not over yet.

I've been going through a lot of stuff lately, and by lately I mean the last ten months.

2015 was the most stressful year of my life and I just needed to focus on my well-being and getting out of high school alive. I'm sure many can relate.

Please have a little empathy, and if anyone has plot suggestions for this story, I'm all ears because I have major writers block.

Thanks for sticking with me and my mediocre writing.


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